


The Other Side of Despair

by Black_Crystal_Dragon, Ice_Elf



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-18
Updated: 2012-07-13
Packaged: 2017-11-08 01:35:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 58,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/437682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Crystal_Dragon/pseuds/Black_Crystal_Dragon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ice_Elf/pseuds/Ice_Elf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unfamiliar aliens arrive in Cardiff and offer Torchwood a choice between two evils. The team is forced to question their morals in order to save one of their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to etmuse for the beta.

The alarms resounded throughout the Hub. The cog door rolled open and Owen staggered into the Hub. He headed straight towards the coffee station, where Ianto was already preparing the first pot of the day. Four mugs were lined up before him and it took a moment for Owen to register that it was Jack’s blue and white striped one that was absent. He raised an eyebrow, glancing towards the Captain’s office where the blinds were pointedly drawn.

“What’s Jack done, then?” Owen asked as Ianto started to pour the coffee. Momentarily distracted by the rich aroma that filled the air, Owen barely registered the twitch of Ianto’s hand that threatened to spill the coffee over the edge of his mug. Ianto didn’t answer, instead just pushing a steaming mug into his hands. As Ianto moved to hand Toshiko her coffee, Owen shot another glance in the direction of Jack’s office. If the Hub had been this tense all morning, he was glad he’d slept in.

He made his way across to Gwen’s work station and peered over her shoulder at the feed of information from the Rift monitors.

“Anything interesting?” he asked, before leaning down and continuing in a more conspiratorial tone, “aside from the obvious.”

Gwen looked around and Owen nodded towards Ianto. Her eyes widened as understanding dawned and she shook her head. “No, not really.” She glanced over at Ianto, then murmured, “And I can’t get him to tell me anything ...”

“If you’re gossiping about someone, it’s best to keep it to a whisper when they’re in the room,” Ianto cut in, passing Gwen her coffee.

Gwen blushed. “Ianto, I’m sorry – we’re just worried about you.”

Owen left her to the mercy of Ianto’s unimpressed stare and headed to his workstation to see if there was anything of interest on his own screen. He muttered a greeting to Toshiko as he settled himself into his chair and then, when Ianto moved off, leaned across and said, “Quite the atmosphere in here this morning.”

Before she could reply, they heard the door to Jack’s office open and looked up. Jack stood framed in his office door, his gaze following Ianto across the Hub before swinging around the rest of them and coming to rest on Owen.

“Nice to see you finally made it in,” he sniped, glaring at the medic. Owen didn’t hold his gaze, taking a sip of his coffee and shooting Toshiko a long-suffering smile.

Jack’s attention didn’t linger, returning to Ianto almost immediately. As far as Owen could tell, Ianto still hadn’t acknowledged Jack’s presence and in fact seemed to be ignoring him as far as was possible.

“Ianto,” Jack said, and Owen almost choked on his coffee as he heard the hint of nerves in Jack’s voice. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Jack anxious, and had never thought he would be when talking to one of the team, especially not Ianto. He turned back to his computer, trying to look like he wasn’t listening.

Ianto shot Jack the briefest of glances. “Something you wanted, Sir?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say no to a coffee, but actually I just wanted to see you in my office?” The nervous edge was there again and Owen couldn’t help but wonder what the Captain had done to piss Ianto off so much.

“If you have anything to say, I’m sure you can say it in front of everyone,” Ianto said, not even looking at Jack. He was staring instead at his computer screen, but it was clear that his attention was elsewhere. Owen could feel the tension mounting in the room and a quick glance at Gwen and Toshiko confirmed that they too were aware of it. Their fingers had stilled on their keyboards and although they were pretending that everything was fine, it was obvious that he wasn’t the only one eavesdropping.

“I was hoping to speak to you in private,” Jack paused, and the silence that followed was almost overwhelming. “It’s a personal matter.”

“I have nothing _personal_ to say to you, Sir.” Ianto snapped, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. “I’ll be in the archives if I’m needed.” He paused, turning to glare at Jack. “For anything work related.”

He strode across the Hub and disappeared down the corridor on the far side. For a moment Jack looked as though he might follow, but seemed to think better of it. He spun around and stormed back into his office, slamming the door behind him.

Owen exchanged a long glance with the two women, then Gwen rose to her feet. “I’m going to go and see if Jack’s OK.”

“Sure that’s a good idea?” Owen muttered, but Gwen was already on her way to the door. She knocked and disappeared inside without waiting for an invitation. Owen raised his eyebrows at Toshiko, but she appeared to have gone back to her work. He sighed and turned back to his screen as well. Apparently, the excitement was over for now.

***

“Jack?” Gwen murmured as she closed the door to his office behind her. “Is everything OK?”

“You were in the Hub just now,” Jack replied. He was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands, and hadn’t looked up when Gwen came in. “What do you think?”

She approached the desk slowly and sank into the chair opposite. As she did so, she couldn’t help but notice the empty Scotch bottle in the bin. She wondered if whatever Jack had done to upset Ianto had happened while he was under the influence. As a police officer, she had seen a lot of crimes committed by people who had drunk too much alcohol and deeply regretted what they had done the morning after. This could be a similar situation.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked gently. She wanted to reach out and touch his arm, but wasn’t sure of his reaction. “It might help.”

Finally, Jack raised his head and met her gaze. He looked tired but not particularly hungover, not that that was any indication. She didn’t even know if Jack could get hangovers.

“I doubt it.” He paused and shook his head. “Listen, Gwen, I know you want to help, but I’ve already been over what happened a hundred times and going over it again with you isn’t going to make anything better.”

“But Jack,” Gwen tried to interrupt but Jack held up a hand and she stopped.

“What would really help me right now is if you go out there and do your job,” he told her firmly. “Keep the city safe.”

Gwen knew from the look in Jack’s eyes that he was not going to be swayed by anything she said. Reluctantly, she got to her feet and went back to the door. There, she paused and looked back. “If there’s anything you need, Jack ...”

“There is one thing,” he replied, running a hand across his face and letting out deep sigh. “Don’t bring this up with Ianto, it’ll only put him in a worse mood and that’s the last thing I need right now.”

It was as though Jack had read her mind. Her first instinct was to go after Ianto and try to find out what had happened from him. If she was right in her assumption that Jack had done something, Ianto might be more likely to discuss it. However, she didn’t want to cause further upset, so she nodded in agreement before opening the door and heading back to her work.

***

Gwen retreated from Jack’s office, her expression revealing her lack of success. Toshiko watched her return to her seat in silence. She wasn’t especially surprised; she didn’t think either man would be all that receptive to Gwen’s forward approach at the moment. She turned her attention back to her work and, for the first time since Jack had left his office, she found herself able to fully focus. A few minutes later, her concentration was broken by the sight of a message box flashing in the corner of her screen.

> **IJONES:** Are you busy?

She was a little surprised by the message. The question implied that whatever Ianto wanted to talk about wasn’t work related and he rarely brought up his personal life, especially not during working hours. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she typed a reply.

> **TSATO:** Not particularly. It’s a slow morning. :)

> **IJONES:** Do you think I was a bit harsh earlier?

The message came back immediately, as if Ianto had been waiting specifically for a reply. Toshiko glanced towards Gwen and Owen, but they seemed oblivious to her conversation. She was suddenly glad that she had turned off the audio alerts that came with the instant messenger. From his reaction to Gwen and Owen’s gossip, she was sure that Ianto wouldn’t want them metaphorically listening in on the conversation. Her fingers hovered over the keys as she considered how best to phrase her next question.

> **TSATO:** It did seem that way, but then, I don’t really know what happened between the two of you...

There was a long silence from Ianto, so long that Toshiko began to wonder if he was going to reply at all. She was about to go back to her work and make a mental note to apologise to Ianto for prying when she saw a new message flash up.

> **IJONES:** We argued last night. I think I broke up with him.

> **TSATO:** You _think_ you broke up with him?

Toshiko leant back in her chair, trying to keep her emotions in check. She couldn’t let Owen and Gwen realise that Ianto had just given her the answers that they were looking for. She bit her lip as she waited for Ianto to reply. He had already forgiven Jack for so much – what could be so bad that he was unable to do so this time? Her shock began to fade, replaced with concern over the future of the team. Would Jack and Ianto still be able to work together? Considering this morning, she wasn’t so sure.

> **IJONES:** I think he’s been cheating on me. I’m tired of feeling like I’m not important to him.

She frowned, surprised that Ianto could think something like that when it was so clear to the rest of them how much he meant to Jack. She was equally shocked by the idea that Jack might be unfaithful. She knew he flirted, but she felt sure that he would never go further. Well, not while he was in a serious relationship. With another furtive glace towards Owen and Gwen, she started typing.

> **TSATO:** I think you’re a lot more important to him than you realise.

> **IJONES:** Then why doesn’t it feel like that?

The reply came back far more quickly than the previous two, suggesting that it was an instinctive answer, one that Ianto had sent without thinking over. Her frown deepened when the next message appeared.

> **IJONES:** Sorry, I can’t do this right now. Thanks.

Before Toshiko could respond, the icon at the top of the message box changed to indicate that Ianto had shut down the messenger and blocked all further messages. She sighed and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. She was worried. It wasn’t like Ianto to be so insecure, and immediately her thoughts turned to Jack and what he could have done to make Ianto feel like this.

“Everything all right, Tosh?” Owen asked, and she looked up sharply at the unexpected question. For a moment she froze, then she smiled as brightly as she could.

“Yes. Everything’s fine,” she lied, closing the instant messenger. She would not betray Ianto’s trust by telling the others something he obviously didn’t want them to know. No matter how much she wanted to confide in someone. With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the files she had been looking at before Ianto’s first message. She made a promise to talk to Ianto later, and try to get this sorted out before it went too far.

***

Toshiko didn’t get the chance to speak to Ianto that day. She had been kept busy, first by relaying messages to an orbiting pleasure cruiser and then by a new piece of alien tech that Jack had recovered from a children’s play area. Ianto had also done his best to avoid any conversations, remaining in the archives all day and only emerging to make a fresh batch of coffee for the team minus Jack, who watched Ianto hand out the drinks with a wistful expression.

Each time he had appeared, Ianto had ignored Jack’s presence completely, only responding to him when his questions were Torchwood related, and even then, in clipped tones that made no secret of his displeasure. After their last conversation, Jack had stormed back into his office, slamming his door hard enough to make the glass rattle, and had not surfaced since.

Now that the day’s excitement seemed to have died down, the Hub was unnaturally quiet. Gwen had departed an hour ago to prepare for a date with Rhys, looking relieved to be given the chance to escape the tense atmosphere. She had left a silence in her wake, and from the look of things Toshiko guessed that Owen was as unwilling to break it as she was.

She shifted slightly in her chair, glancing at the clock on her screen. Not long now until she could leave. The thought had barely run through her head when an alarm sounded and the Rift monitor she had running in the background jumped to the front of all the windows she had open, showing a spike in activity. She shared a glance with Owen and the moment she made eye contact she knew that he too was wondering how this was going to go with Ianto and Jack no longer on speaking terms.

A moment later, Jack burst out of his office. “Toshiko – what’ve you got for me?”

Quickly, Toshiko scanned the information appearing on her screen. “Rift spike in Splott.” Her fingers danced across the keyboard as she searched for more information. “I’m tracking it now.”

“What’s going on?” Ianto asked as he jogged out of the corridor that led to the archives.

“We have Rift activity in a block of flats in central Splott,” Toshiko said, relaying the new information to the whole team at the same time as filling Ianto in.

“Do we have CCTV?” Jack asked as Ianto logged into his workstation.

“I’m working on it,” Toshiko told him. Jack was pushing them harder than he usually would, probably thanks to the tension caused by the situation with Ianto. Jack paced restlessly, glancing furtively at Ianto every few seconds.

“The flats are empty,” Ianto said a few seconds later, still typing. “They’re due to be demolished in a couple of weeks.”

“At least we won’t have any civilians to deal with,” Owen murmured, and Toshiko thought she could hear relief in his voice. She couldn’t help feeling relieved herself; clearing up after the Rift was always easier when they didn’t have to deal with the general public.

“I have CCTV,” she announced and immediately Jack was at her shoulder, peering at the grainy footage. She played the past few hours at high speed, just in case, but there was little movement: a few kids playing football on the outside of the perimeter fence, some smoking teenagers half-heartedly trying to break through the chain links. After a few moments, the footage slowed, indicating that it was now live.

“OK,” Jack said straightening up and turning around. “We need to check it out. Ianto –”

“I’ll stay in the Hub and co-ordinate,” Ianto said firmly, meeting Jack’s gaze and setting his jaw. “I’m sure the three of you can handle it without me.”

Jack tried to stare him down, but eventually he gave in and looked away. Toshiko turned her attention back to her screen, feeling guilty that she had been watching their interaction.

Jack cleared his throat loudly. “Toshiko, Owen, you’re with me.”

Toshiko shared another glance with Owen before she got to her feet. Ianto was right, the three of them would be able to handle Rift activity at these levels, but it was unlike Ianto to volunteer to remain in the Hub these days. She grabbed her coat and pulled it on, then shot Ianto a glance. He noticed her looking and gave her a tight-lipped smile.

“Good luck,” he said to her as she walked past. She nodded, then hurried to catch up with Owen and Jack, who were already making their way through the door to the garage. There would be time to talk to him later. For now, she had to focus on her job.


	2. Chapter 2

The SUV ground to a halt outside the block of flats. The journey hadn’t been pleasant. The tension had been rolling off Jack in waves. From her seat in the back, Toshiko could see the rigid set of his shoulders and the whiteness of his knuckles where they curled around the steering wheel. She glanced up, meeting Owen’s eyes in the rear-view mirror, conveying the fear that Jack’s preoccupations would make him a liability in the field.

Jack’s eyes rose to meet hers in the mirror and she resisted the urge to look away, knowing that he suspected something of what she thought. “OK, Toshiko – tell me what we’re dealing with.”

Toshiko looked back to the screen, bringing up an image of the building. “We have Rift energy in two locations: flats on the third and seventh floors. They’ve both been stationary since we left the Hub.”

Jack nodded. “Right, we’ll have to split up. You and Owen take the third floor, I’ll take the seventh. Stay together and keep in touch – I want this over with as quickly as possible.”

He climbed out of the car, slamming the door shut. Toshiko exchanged another worried glance with Owen before following, rounding the car and pausing behind Jack.

“Jack,” she began, “Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to go off on your own?”

It was true that he had been on missions alone in the past – but she had rarely seen him so obviously distracted. Jack didn’t even look at her.

“I’ll be fine,” he replied bluntly. “It isn’t like I can let either of you go off alone.”

He shrugged, heading off towards the block of flats. As he busied himself with opening the chain-link fence, Owen stepped closer to her.

“Ianto had better forgive him soon,” the doctor grumbled, “I don’t think I can put up with much more of this.”

Toshiko glanced over at him, nodding slightly. “I know what you mean.” She frowned. “I’ve never seen them like this before.”

Any response from Owen was cut off by the metallic scrape as Jack pushed open the gate. The Captain glanced over his shoulder, forcing a brief smile that failed to reach his eyes.

“Let’s get this over with. I’m sure you want to get home tonight.”

Toshiko tried not to wince at the hint of bitterness in his voice. Jack left no time for any response, spinning on his heel and stalking towards the flats with his coat billowing dramatically behind him. Toshiko frowned after him before glancing at Owen, who merely shrugged.

“Come on,” she murmured, starting after Jack. “Like he says, the sooner we get this done the sooner we get home.”

Owen nodded. “And if we’re lucky they’ll be back to normal in the morning, groping each other at every possible opportunity and putting me off my coffee.” He pulled a face. “Never thought I’d say that.”

Toshiko smiled wistfully. “I hope you’re right, Owen.” She paused to pull open the door, leading the way inside before bringing up a map on her handheld scanner. “The stairs are this way.”

She flicked on her torch and shone it in the direction she had indicated. Leading the way down a corridor directly ahead, she briefly wondering how Jack had managed to get away from them so quickly. He probably wanted to be alone, she reasoned, somewhere where he was safe from their enquiring glances. 

“Don’t know what his problem is,” Owen groused as they started up the stairs. “You’d think he wanted us to stay in the Hub. With all that tension? Not bloody likely.”

Toshiko sighed. “I don’t think he’s looking forward to spending the night alone – in the Hub. I can’t say I blame him.”

Owen shrugged. “Jack lives in the Hub. He’s used to it.”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew the doctor could be unobservant when it came to other people’s feelings – oh, she knew that far too well – but to have missed something so obvious ... she shook her head.

“He’s been staying at Ianto’s a lot lately, and the nights he hasn’t, Ianto’s been at the Hub with him. They’ve barely spent a night apart since...” she paused, swallowing past the lump in her throat, “Since Tommy.”

“Ah,” Owen frowned. “You know, Tosh, relationships aren’t all people think they are. Maybe you’d be better off finding someone you can have a bit of fun with. You fall in love, you’re just gonna get your heart broken.”

Toshiko frowned, suspecting that Owen was speaking from experience. Still, she didn’t like to pry into other people’s affairs and, even if she did, the set of Owen’s jaw told her that she would get no answers from him. Besides, despite her track record when it came to love, she wasn’t prepared to become cynical just yet.

“Third floor,” she announced, signalling an end to the conversation. She brought up a floor plan on her console and glanced around, orientating herself. In one of the furthest rooms, a small dot of Rift energy pulsed rhythmically. “That way.”

She gestured towards the corridor on her right. Owen nodded, starting towards it, aiming his gun into the dim light. Toshiko kept close to him, torch in one hand and the scanner in the other. A part of her wanted her own gun at the ready but she knew that if they did run into trouble and the scanner didn’t successfully warn them in advance, Owen would cover her for as long as she needed.

She read out the directions as they moved along the corridor. She tried to ignore the feeling of wariness that grew in the pit of her stomach as they moved further from the stairs. It felt as if their passage was marked by some unseen figure and yet the scanner was still resolutely telling her that nothing was there. It was just her imagination, Toshiko told herself, rounding a corner and smiling as she realised that the Rift energy was coming from one of the flats on that corridor. She walked along it, counting off the doors until she found the right one. She came to a halt, shining her torch on the handle. “It’s coming from in there.”

Owen nodded, aimed his gun at the lock and fired. The lock splintered and he was able to push the door open and lead the way into the room.

A small box sat in the centre of the room, a red light blinking atop it. Toshiko hurried across the room, altering a few settings on the scanner before waving it over the box. She blinked in confusion at the readings the box gave, then reached out to pick it up, turning it over in her hands.

“We came all this way for that?” Owen grumbled, letting his gun fall to his side. “Well, that isn’t a waste of my time at all.”

“That’s strange ...” Toshiko muttered, ignoring Owen, her attention firmly on her readings. “The Rift energy is coming from this, whatever it is – but according to the readings it hasn’t actually come through the Rift. In fact, there’s no evidence of the Rift opening in this building at all.” She stood, turning to Owen. “Something really isn’t right. We need to get out of here.”

Owen raised his gun, aiming it towards the doorway. Toshiko lifted a hand to her comms device and activated it.

“Jack, I think we have a situation.”

There was no answer. The only sound Toshiko could hear was the faint buzz of the communication device and her own heartbeat, racing now because something was definitely wrong. Jack never failed to answer his comms device. No matter how dark his mood, he wouldn’t ignore her.

“Jack, can you hear me?”

Still no answer, she exchanged a concerned glance with Owen before turning her attention to her scanner, searching the building for heat signals. When the results flashed up on screen a few seconds later, she paled and looked up, meeting Owen’s gaze.

“I only have two heat signals – and they’re ours. Something’s happened to Jack.”

Owen frowned deeply and touched the device in his ear. “Ianto, any movement on the CCTV?”

“No, nothing I can see,” Ianto replied, and Toshiko thought she could hear concern in his voice. “What’s going on?”

“We’ve lost contact with Jack,” she explained as she pulled open her bag and put the small box inside to examine later. Once it was safely put away, she nodded to Owen and he set off towards the stairs. As they briskly retraced their steps, she reassured Ianto, “There were two Rift signals, so we split up. We’re going to go and look for him now.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the perimeter,” Ianto replied. He no longer sounded worried, but Toshiko knew how good Ianto was at faking a lack of emotion. However, there was little she could do to reassure him over the comms and so she said nothing.

As they climbed the staircase to the seventh floor, Toshiko’s nerves grew. There was something wrong with the situation. It wasn’t the simple mission they had taken it to be. When Jack had gone up to the seventh floor alone, she could have protested. She had known that he was distracted by personal issues, yet she had said nothing. She could have stopped this from happening.

“Seventh floor,” Owen announced in a murmur as he reached the landing. He levelled his gun, pointing it along the corridor and peering through the gloom. “Clear. Where’s the Rift energy coming from?”

Toshiko stepped onto the landing behind him and looked down at the scanner. “Straight along this corridor, turn left at the end.”

He nodded and started walking, gun at the ready. Toshiko still felt as though she were being watched as they moved further from the stairwell, but no resistance appeared. They reached the corner and Owen glanced at her before swinging his body around it, ready to shoot if he saw any movement.

“Clear,” he said almost immediately, but Toshiko’s nerves did not lessen. She followed him along the corridor, but called a halt about half way along when the Rift energy spiked on her screen.

“It’s in there,” she said, nodding at the door. While Owen pointed his gun at the door, she put away her scanner and pulled out her own weapon. She took a deep breath. “Ready.”

Owen threw open the door and stepped through, sweeping the room with his gun even as he stepped inside. Toshiko followed, her eyes darting around in search of possible hostiles, but no one was there, not even Jack. Her stomach lurched. There was just another box, apparently identical to the one on the third floor. It looked untouched. She shot Owen a worried glance.

“No sign of Jack,” she murmured, putting away her gun. She walked across to the box and checked it over with her scanner. “This box is the same: it shows as Rift energy, but there’s no evidence that it’s come through.”

“Where the hell is he?” Owen hissed, glaring around the room as if there was an answer there. Toshiko picked up the box and started putting it away in her bag. A few moments later, Ianto’s voice came over the comms.

“I still have nothing on CCTV, but I’m getting police and air traffic control reports of a UFO over Splott,” he said. There was a telling pause, then: “Have you found Jack yet?”

Toshiko glanced at Owen. He nodded and said, “We’re on the seventh floor with the other signal. Jack isn’t here.”

“Do you think this UFO might be connected?” Ianto asked. Toshiko was surprised that his voice did not shake.

“It’s a possibility,” she replied.

Despite how quickly he tried to hide it, Toshiko heard Ianto’s sharp intake of breath. The silence that followed stretched on almost a moment too long before Ianto spoke again. “I’ll look into it, then. Should I call Gwen in?”

“I think you’d better. Listen, Ianto, we’re going to take another look around and then head back to the Hub. Keep in touch, OK?”

“Of course; and Tosh...” There was a pregnant pause, then Ianto added, “Let me know if you hear anything from Jack, will you?”

Finally, a hint of concern had crept into Ianto’s voice. “You needn’t have asked, Ianto.”

She wanted to tell him not to worry or offer him some comfort, but anything she could have said would have hardly seemed apt to her own ears, let alone his. Ianto pre-empted her efforts at comfort.

“Thanks, Tosh,” he said, and before she could put together a response the line went dead.

She looked over at Owen. “I think we should head back to the Hub as soon as possible.” She glanced back at her scanner. “I’m still not getting any more signals – I don’t think Jack’s here anymore.”

Owen nodded, his gaze not moving from the doorway. “Right,” he said. “And if something’s taken him, it doesn’t seem to have any interest in us. Let’s go before they change their minds.”

Toshiko slipped the scanner into her bag, pulling out her own gun as she followed Owen out of the room and down the corridor. The darkness seemed even more oppressive and the feeling of being watched even more acute now that she knew that something was out there.

“Let’s hurry,” she urged. She wouldn’t admit it, especially not to Owen, of all people, but she was starting to become scared. Every noise they made, even the click of her heels on the floor, seemed overly loud and could be a homing beacon to whatever was following them. Much to her relief, Owen sped up without question. Clearly his thoughts ran along the same vein as hers: if whatever followed them could prevail against Jack, they stood little chance. As they hurried along the corridor and down the stairwell, Toshiko noted that the feeling of being watched was slowly passing.

“It’s almost as if they want us gone,” she observed.

“Either that, or they’re luring us into a trap,” Owen replied, turning around briefly to scan the darkness for signs of movement.

“No, I don’t think so,” Toshiko replied as Owen fell back into step beside her. “I suspect that they’ve got what they wanted, now. If they had any interest in us we would have met with some resistance, I’m sure.”

Owen hummed his agreement, not sounding altogether convinced. Toshiko didn’t blame him; she didn’t entirely trust her own words either. She glanced warily over her shoulder, wondering where Jack was and if he was alright. A part of her railed against the fact they were just leaving him here – Jack would have never done so if one of them had been taken – but she knew that they would have more chance of staging a rescue with the resources at the Hub.

They continued down the stairs in silence, neither of them wanting to draw the fading attention back onto themselves. It wasn’t until they stepped outside into the cool evening air that Owen voiced the question that Toshiko too had been pondering.

“What do they want with Jack?”

Toshiko shook her head, slipping the scanner into her bag before turning to look at Owen. “I honestly don’t know. There’s so much we don’t know about Jack ... It’s possible that this isn’t related to Torchwood at all.”

She paused by the SUV to take one last look at the flats. The sky above was clear and Toshiko knew that there was a chance that Jack was already far away. She shook her head as she climbed into the car; she wouldn’t allow negative thinking to impair her work.

“We’ll get him back,” she announced to Owen, as much for her own benefit as for his. “Those aliens don’t know who they’re dealing with.”


	3. Chapter 3

The Hub was quiet when Toshiko and Owen returned, the atmosphere punctuated by an underlying current of worry. Gwen was sitting at her computer watching the CCTV from earlier while Ianto stood waiting for the coffee to percolate. He glanced up as they entered, and Toshiko saw the hope fade from his face as he turned quickly away.

“You’d better tell him to bring those to the boardroom,” Owen muttered before walking away to talk to Gwen. Toshiko waited until the two of them had headed in the direction of the boardroom before approaching the coffee machine.

“Ianto.” She stopped beside him, suddenly at a loss for what to say or do. She swallowed, realising he was looking at her expectantly. After a moment’s deliberation, she decided to simply report the facts: “We think Jack’s been taken by something. The building seemed to be deserted, but it felt as though we were being watched. We didn’t see anyone, but I’m pretty sure that whoever took him left someone behind to keep an eye on Owen and me until we left.”

“You didn’t find him, then,” Ianto said bleakly, dropping his gaze back to the counter before closing his eyes for a few seconds. He let out his breath in one long rush “I should have been there.”

“Ianto –”

“I should have been there,” Ianto insisted, looking up and frowning at her. “I let my personal feelings get in the way of my job. I should have come with you, and then paired up with you or Owen to get away from Jack – not stayed behind and let him go into a potentially hostile situation alone.”

“Even if one of us had been with him, I don’t think it would have made any difference,” Toshiko replied firmly. “They managed to overpower Jack. I think they would have taken care of anyone else who was with him.”

Ianto closed his eyes again and took a deep, calming breath. She could almost see him reining in his emotions. After a few moments, he murmured, “You’re probably right.”

“We’ll get him back, Ianto,” she said, reaching out to lay a hand on Ianto’s arm. He nodded before turning his attention back to the counter, where five mugs were lined up waiting to be filled. She heard a soft intake of breath, and looked up to see that Ianto was staring fixedly at them, a strange look in his eyes.

“I guess I won’t be needing this, then,” he said, picking up Jack’s blue and white mug and reaching up to place it back on the shelf. Toshiko reached out to catch his arm, pulling it down so that she could ease the mug from his grasp.

“Leave it. I imagine he’ll want coffee when we get him back,” she murmured. She slipped her hand into his and gave it a short, sharp squeeze before releasing it and placing Jack’s mug almost reverently on the counter. Ianto nodded wordlessly, staring at the mug as if it somehow held the answer to the question they were all asking: where was Jack? Sensing he needed some time to compose himself, Toshiko went over to her desk.

***

Owen sank down into his usual chair at the boardroom table. Gwen followed him in, leaning on the back of the chair opposite and immediately starting with the questions. 

“So there was no sign of Jack?”

“Of course not,” he snapped, glaring at her. Though he wouldn’t show it, he was as worried as the others about Jack’s whereabouts, and about what had taken him. “If there had been, we would have followed it up.”

“And you didn’t see anything else?” she asked, pressing for more information. She started pacing up and down in front of the screen. Frowning deeply, she tried to fit the pieces of information she had been given into a picture that made sense.

“Apart from the two boxes Tosh picked up, no,” he told her with a sigh. “Nothing. You’ve seen the CCTV footage yourself.”

Gwen came to a halt behind Jack’s chair and laid both hands on the backrest, leaning forwards. “There were reports of a UFO –”

“Which we can’t actually verify, since no one thought to whip out their camera phone and take a picture or a video,” Owen cut in impatiently. She sighed deeply and shook her head.

“It doesn’t make any sense.”

Toshiko chose that moment to push open the door to the boardroom and step inside. She glanced at Owen then turned her attention to Gwen. “I’ve set up some preliminary scans on the boxes. They should be done in a few minutes, but it might take some time to work out what they are and if they have any significance.”

Gwen nodded, then strode around to sit in her usual chair. Her gaze flickered to her right, just briefly, to where Jack’s chair stood empty. Owen followed her gaze, noting how Toshiko did the same. Somehow, the sight of Jack’s empty chair made the reality of the situation hit home. Jack’s presence was always an arresting one and its absence was more noticeable in the small confines of the boardroom. 

Ianto pushed open the door with one hand, balancing a tray of coffee mugs on the other. He paused in the doorway. His eyes fixed on Jack’s place, but he made no comment, didn’t allow even the faintest flicker of emotion to cross his face. Then he came in and began to move around the table, handing out the drinks. Owen watched him. Ianto looked tense beneath the crisp lines of his suit. While they had been in the field, Ianto had been nothing but professional but now he was starting to crumble.

“OK,” Gwen said once Ianto had taken his seat. “Jack has disappeared, apparently without a trace. There’s no CCTV footage of him being taken out of the building and Tosh and Owen didn’t see anyone else there. The only possible links we have are a couple of boxes emitting Rift radiation and a UFO that might not actually exist.”

“Your point being?” Owen asked. He felt as though he was suddenly on the defensive. Gwen met his gaze squarely.

“My point being that this isn’t the first time Jack has just vanished,” she said. Out of the corner of his eye, Owen saw Ianto’s grip on his coffee mug tighten. Gwen sighed deeply and shook her head. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but we have to face the possibility that Jack has left us again.”

“No,” Owen snapped. He didn’t want to believe that Jack would abandon them once again.. He couldn’t believe that. He glanced over at Ianto; from the set of the other man’s jaw, neither could he. Besides, there had been something wrong in that block of flats. “He wouldn’t do that. Jack was taken.”

“We don’t know that,” Gwen replied, folding her arms, and glancing around the table. “It’s not like he hasn’t done this before.”

“You weren’t there,” Owen told her, shaking his head. He looked over at Toshiko for confirmation. “We weren’t alone in that building. Right, Tosh?”

“Owen’s right,” she said, leaning forward so that she could address the whole table. “I don’t think Jack just left. He may have been upset today, but that wouldn’t have been reason enough for him to go.”

Gwen sighed deeply, shaking her head. “Then how did they get him out of the building? And why weren’t you getting any heat-signals?”

Ianto cleared his throat to get their attention. Owen thought he looked rather strained and suddenly saw the implication of what had been said. Their words suggested that Jack might have left because of the argument. It seemed that Ianto had spotted that, too.

“If the reports of a UFO are true, they could have got him out via the roof, or some kind of teleportation device,” Ianto pointed out. “I know we don’t have any evidence other than a few phone calls and a blip on air traffic control’s radar to suggest that there was a ship over Splott, but just because we don’t have proof doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.”

“As for the heat signals, Tosh only ran a scan after Jack failed to reply to us,” Owen added as he sat back in his chair, satisfied that their point had been made.

Toshiko nodded in agreement. “He could have been out of the building by the time I ran a check. I don’t think we should just assume that Jack’s gone of his own accord.”

“The last time this happened, we thought he’d been kidnapped – and then he breezed back in here a few months later, absolutely fine, and told us that we didn’t have anything to worry about,” Gwen said. She sat a little straighter in her chair and folded her arms. “I just don’t think we should jump to conclusions.”

“Fine,” Owen said with forced patience. He knew that Gwen too would be worrying, because he knew as well as anyone about her infatuation with the Captain. He could even understand that she wasn’t willing to give way to panic, not when Jack’s previous disappearance still stung her like a betrayal. What he couldn’t understand was her reluctance to even look into the possibility that Jack might have been taken. Still, they shouldn’t discount her view, so he forced himself to ask, “What do you think we should do?”

Gwen looked around the table, making sure to meet their gazes in turn. “First of all, we don’t panic and we all remember that Jack may be absolutely fine. Tosh, I want you to look at the two boxes we picked up. See if you can work out what they are and what they were doing in Cardiff. Ianto, you look into this UFO – see if there are any photos or videos appearing online. Also see if you can map some sort of trajectory for us, just in case it turns out to be a lead. You’ll need to contact –”

“The police to find out the times and origins of each call, and air traffic control at Cardiff Airport for their radar,” Ianto said smoothly. He flashed her a brief, tight-lipped smile. “I know how to do my job, Gwen.”

Owen was impressed. From him, the words would have sounded too harsh, but from Ianto they sounded like a mild, playful rebuke. Gwen smiled gently at Ianto, reaching out to pat his hand.

“Sorry, Ianto. Of course you do,” she said softly, and Owen thought that the apology sounded genuine. Then she turned to him. “Owen, you and I are on CCTV duty. Everything from the past twenty-four hours at least needs to be reviewed, to see if we can catch anybody who might have planted the boxes going in or out.”

Owen groaned. The last thing he wanted was a long stint staring at grainy footage of a dump in Splott. “We get all the good jobs.”

“However,” Gwen said firmly as the group rose to their feet. She too stood up and braced her arms on the table – imitating Jack’s stance, now, Owen noticed. “We all need to be well-rested for this. I am ordering you all to go home and get a good night’s sleep. It looks like it’ll be a long day tomorrow.”

“We should make a start now,” Ianto protested, but Gwen shook her head.

“No. We get in bright and early tomorrow and start then,” she told him in a tone of voice that brooked no argument. “Like I said, we don’t have any reason to panic at the moment, so we are not pulling an all-nighter for this just yet. OK?” A reluctant murmur of assent ran around the table. Gwen nodded. “Good.”

Owen watched as Ianto strode to the door, closely followed by Toshiko. Once the door clicked closed, Owen rounded on Gwen. “What d’you think you’re doing?”

“What do you mean?” Gwen asked, looking at him in surprise.

“I mean that Jack wouldn’t send anyone home if one of the team was missing,” Owen growled, moving closer to her until his proximity made her step back. “Why aren’t we doing the same for him?”

“Because the last time we tried that, we spent seventy-two hours searching and came up with nothing!” Gwen shouted, finally snapping under the pressure of the situation. She glared at him. “I’m not going to run around after him like last time – not for him to waltz back into our lives in a couple of months as if he never went away!”

Now Owen could see how close Gwen had been to breaking point during their meeting. There were tears welling in her eyes. He stepped back, feeling guiltier than he liked to admit at having caused such a reaction. He looked away. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “It’s just –”

“I know,” Gwen said quickly, cutting him off, for which he was grateful. She rubbed at her eyes with her fingers then briskly shook her head. Then she gave him a weak smile and walked across to the door. “Get some rest, Owen. We’ll try and find him in the morning.”

He nodded and followed her up to the main level. He stopped at the top of the stairs so that he could survey the whole of the Hub. He watched as Gwen shooed first Toshiko and then Ianto out of the cog door, both of them apparently reluctant and, in Ianto’s case, openly protesting. Then she set about collecting her own things. With a sigh, Owen headed back to his own workstation before she came to badger him to leave as well. All they could do now was hope that a good night’s sleep would shed some light on the impossible facts they were presented with.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you might recognise the name of our alien species. Apparantly, their home planet shares a name with a planet in another sci-fi show. This was not known to either of us at the time of writing as neither of us have ever watched the show in question. There is no connection to that show and the name is just a huge coincidence.

Jack revived with a loud gasp.

It took him only a fraction of a second to realise something was very wrong. He was not lying prone, head cushioned by Ianto’s lap as was the norm these days when he was killed in the field. Instead, he was upright, held in place by heavy chains which pulled his arms above his head. They strained against the chain, having to support almost his entire weight on their own. Only the very tips of his toes were allowed to brush against the floor, and the abuse had already cut deeply into the flesh of his wrists. His ankles were also bound, a heavy chain connecting them to the floor.

He shifted slightly, testing the strength of the bonds, feeling for any give. There was none. Whoever had done this knew what they were doing. They had even stripped him, trying perhaps to increase his sense of vulnerability. Jack almost laughed; clearly they didn’t know who they were dealing with. There was no avoiding the vulnerability that came with being chained up, but he was comfortable in his own skin. Being naked was no hardship for him.

“Hey,” he shouted, “I like a bit of bondage as much as the next guy, but come on, don’t just leave me hanging around here!”

Jack’s voice echoed in the cavernous room. No answer; well, he had hardly expected one. No doubt his captors were letting him contemplate his situation. Letting him realise how hopeless it was. He rolled his eyes – that was another thing they clearly didn’t know. His team wouldn’t rest until they had found them; Ianto wouldn’t let them. That was, if Ianto even cared.

He closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh. His preoccupation with Ianto was what had got him into this mess; if he was going to get out on his own he would have to stop pondering the future of his relationship with Ianto.

His thoughts strayed to the rest of his team. His breath caught in his throat as memories returned. He strained against the chains, trying to catch a glimpse of the rest of the room to see if Toshiko and Owen had been caught along with him. There was nothing; the room was shadows and dark. He hoped that meant they had escaped, or that the enemy’s interest was solely with him. He didn’t want to contemplate the alternatives.

Lights suddenly flared into brightness and Jack winced, turning his face to one side. As his eyes became accustomed to the harsh glare he looked up, eyes widening as he found three alien figures stood before him.

“Now where did you come from?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and flashing his patented charming smile. He let his gaze drift over the creatures: they were tall and vaguely humanoid if one ignored the blue-green tint to their skin and their flattened faces. There was no sign of any nose, just two holes in the centre of their faces, and there was no hair on their heads. Instead a bony ridge travelled along their scalp, protruding above a pair of unnatural, yellow eyes which peered inquisitively at Jack.

“Do not worry for your friends, _Captain_ Harkness,” the smallest alien said as he stepped from between his guards. The aliens flanking him were clearly warriors, but the speaker was lithe and slight compared to their large, well-muscled frames. However, despite his heavy accent, Jack could tell from his tone of voice that he was being addressed by their leader. “We had no interest in them. I wonder if they are searching for you?” He smirked, shaking his head a little. “If they are, they will fail.”

“You underestimate them,” Jack scoffed. “They’ll find me, and then you’ll be in trouble.”

The alien laughed; a cold, cruel noise that sent a shiver down Jack’s spine despite his confidence in his team. “I think it is you who underestimates us.”

Jack let his gaze flicker over the creatures. He didn’t recognise them, and he had a feeling he would remember such a race if he had come across them before, especially the eyes with their pupils slitted from left to right. “And who, exactly, are you? More to the point, what do you want from me – because I’m telling you now, whatever it is, you ain’t getting it.” 

“We are the Antari,” the leader told him, raising his chin as if he were proud to speak for his people. “And we have travelled across galaxies in search of an item that Torchwood has in its possession. We are willing to let you go free in exchange for it. Will you comply?”

Jack raised his eyebrows. “Mind telling me what it is I’m going to be trading my freedom for? Because I’m guessing it isn’t anything pleasant.”

“You are wise,” the Antari leader smiled. “And you are also right. We seek a Shothar Detonator, for use in our war with the Egorth. With the Detonator in our possession, we could end the war and rid the universe of that foul race once and for all!”

Jack frowned. He knew exactly what the Antari spoke of. Shothar Detonators had been banned by the fifty-first century; the device was too powerful and deadly to be safe in anyone’s hands. A Detonator could destroy an entire planet in one terrible, deadly blast – and there was one in Torchwood, tucked away safely in the corner of the secure archives. Jack swallowed; he knew that he should have found a way to deactivate it they day they had found it.

He also knew he could hardly just give the detonator over to them. Not if they would use it to destroy another planet. He couldn’t allow genocide on that level. He met the leader’s gaze and waited.

“And why would you want to do that?” 

“The Egorth insult our Gods by their very existence,” the leader snapped. “And they demand retribution. You will help us deliver it in exchange for your freedom.” The leader stepped forward and Jack winced, recoiling as the alien’s breath hit his face. “You will give us the device. We have tracked it through space and know that you guard it.”

Jack turned, meeting the Antari’s gaze once again, then shrugged and flashed him a grin. “’Fraid I’m a bit tied up at the moment, boys.”

Jack watched the leader step back and exchange a few words with his guards. Jack strained to overhear, but the words were foreign to him and the voices too quiet to pick up on the subtle inflections. He stiffened as one of the guards strode towards him. The Antari paused before driving his fist into Jack’s stomach. The Captain cried out, the breath driven from him, the chains preventing him from bending double.

As he struggled to regain his breath, the Antari leader stepped forward once more. “We have ways of persuading you, Harkness. Let’s see how long you last.”

He smirked, turning to the guards and calling out something in his native tongue. Jack didn’t understand him, but he recognised the look the alien wore and he didn’t like it one bit.

“And better yet, we’ll let your little team witness your persuasion. Let’s see if we can’t get them to hand over the detonator in your stead.”

Jack struggled weakly at his chains, still short of breath. “You leave them alone,” he managed to grind out between strained gasps. “They can’t help you. They don’t know the password to the secure archives.”

Except that wasn’t exactly true, and it was clear that the Antari leader didn’t believe him.

While most of the team were oblivious to the passwords, Ianto was not. Jack had confided in him, accepting the need for someone else to know and trusting no one better than him. He swallowed, realising that the team couldn’t hand over the bomb without Ianto’s agreement, and everything hinged on whether the archivist still cared about him. He closed his eyes, trying to prevent his mind debating over which of the two options he would prefer.

“Think on it, Harkness,” the alien said softly, his words carrying in the silence of the expansive room. Jack looked up in time to see the Antari leader smile at him before the lights went out and left him alone in the darkness.

***

 

Ianto was the first to arrive at the Hub the next morning. It felt strange to walk into the large space without Jack at his side. He had done so the day before, but Gwen and Toshiko had already arrived by the time he got to work and he had still been furious, so he hadn’t noticed the absence. Today was different. Today, Jack was missing and his absence was palpable to Ianto the moment he stepped into the Hub.

He made his way across to his workstation, taking off his coat and hanging it up on the way, and settled on the chair while the computer logged him in. He glanced at the coffee machine, tempted to get up and make a fresh pot to combat the fact that he had slept badly, but he resisted. There were more important things to do and coffee would have to wait.

His first task was to check his messages in case Jack had simply left them, as Gwen had suggested the day before. If that was the case, Ianto was sure that he would have sent a message by now telling them not to worry. His inbox contained nothing of interest, however, as he had expected. Heart sinking, Ianto rubbed his eyes with the fingers of one hand. In his mind, there was no question now; Jack had undoubtedly been taken. He knew that the Captain would not leave without a word, no matter how angry he was with Ianto personally. Not after the way the team had reacted last time.

He shrugged off his jacket and hung it over the back of his chair, then brought up the phone numbers for his contacts in the police and at Cardiff Airport. Gwen had set him a task the day before, and he planned to have as much solid evidence of an alien ship as possible by the time she walked into the Hub. He glanced at the clock as he began to dial the number for DI Swanson. He had a couple of hours before he could expect the rest of the team. That gave him plenty of time to get a head start.

***

 

Time passed slowly in the pitch darkness of the Antari ship. Jack wondered if the aliens relied on senses other than sight on their home-world, but the brightness of the lights when they had eventually been turned on suggested otherwise. That meant that keeping him in the dark was a tactic.

He hated to admit it, but it was a successful one. Being without his sight made Jack jumpy; his blindness made him suspect that every movement of air indicated an approaching alien, every sound a footfall. The room he was being kept in was large, warm and humid. The occasional air currents that brushed his skin did little to cool him off and his toes slithered on the floor when he tried to move them. The blood that had begun to trickle down his arms from the harsh metal of the cuffs that chained him to the high ceiling mingled with rivulets of sweat.

Suddenly, Jack felt a current of air on his shoulder – breath, he was sure of it. He tried to twist around as much as he could given his bindings, but as suddenly as it had come the sensation was gone. Somewhere close by, he heard a low chuckle. He shuddered; they were playing with him.

Cool fingers touched his hip. He flinched in surprise, and silently cursed his instinctual movement. The Antari would see it as weakness, he was sure. Another touch, this time to his chest, but this time he was prepared and didn’t move. The alien in the dark chuckled again, and then there was silence. He strained to hear any sound, but there was nothing – no footsteps to indicate movement, barely a shift in the air.

The darkness pressed in on his eyes and he forced them closed, forced himself to stop staring helplessly into the impenetrable black around him. The motion made no difference. Suddenly, sickeningly, Jack was reminded of the fragments of memory he retained when he came back from the dead: darkness and silence, with something lurking where he could not see. The similarity made him want to throw back his head and howl.

He hastily turned his thoughts to his team. They would come for him. He had to hold on to that thought. They would not leave him alone in the dark.

***

 

At a quarter to eight, Ianto heard the sirens of the cog door and looked up. Toshiko walked into the Hub and offered him a tight-lipped smile. She looked tired, but not surprised to see him already there and working away. As she hung up her coat, she said, “Found anything?”

“Nothing conclusive,” he replied with a slight shake of his head. It was frustrating; there was evidence of something in the skies over Cardiff in the sonar from Air Traffic Control, but no matter what programs he ran the data through, he couldn’t glean any more information. The phone calls to the police had been equally useless and he had given up on them an hour ago.

Toshiko patted his shoulder on her way past him and took a seat at her own workstation. “We’ll find something.”

Ianto nodded, though when he met her gaze he could see his own doubt reflected in her expression. She quickly looked away and engrossed herself in the readings the Torchwood computers had taken from the pair of boxes they had picked up from the flats. With a sigh, Ianto turned his attention back to his own screen. He had yet to start trawling the internet for videos and images of alien activity in Cardiff uploaded the night before, and since the radar readings were turning out to be fruitless, it was his last chance to prove that there had been aliens in Splott the previous evening.

He had barely brought up the search engine when the sirens began to wail to announce another arrival. He knew that it would be Gwen; it was ten to eight, and the idea of Owen arriving early, even during an emergency, was highly unlikely. He shared a glance with Toshiko then went back to his work as she exchanged a greeting with Gwen.

“Morning, Tosh, Ianto. How long have you two been here?” Gwen asked as she approached them.

“Only a few minutes,” Toshiko admitted before hastily turning back to her screen. Ianto tried not to squirm guiltily as he felt Gwen’s gaze fall on him.

“Ianto?”

“Not long,” he lied, fairly unconvincingly he though, but Gwen actually let it slide with merely a disbelieving noise.

“Any chance of a coffee?” she asked as she took her seat and logged in. “I imagine we could all do with one.”

Ianto sighed, recognising her request as a way of getting him to move from his seat and stretch a little, change his focus from the screen he had been staring into for the past two hours. However, she was right; he did need a break. Besides, it would only take a few minutes to make them all coffee, and truth be told he had been promising himself a cup for the past forty-five minutes.

Jack’s mug was still sitting on the worktop. Ianto stared at it for a long time without moving. It was a reminder both of Jack’s absence and of how he had acted towards the captain the day before. Guilt squirmed in his stomach as he finally started to make the morning coffee, his body moving mechanically while his mind spun off on a tangent, wondering where Jack was, who had taken him, and what they could be subjecting him to.

Someone touched his arm and he started before realising that it was just Gwen. She smiled at him slightly. “I’m sure that wherever Jack is, he’ll be fine.”

“You don’t know that,” Ianto replied solemnly. “He’s been taken by something, and we have no idea who they are or what they want. While we sit around debating Jack’s location they could be doing anything to him.” 

“He’s not necessarily been taken,” Gwen began, but Ianto cut her off.

“He has been taken,” he said firmly, not raising his voice but speaking in a tone that brooked no argument. “He wouldn’t just leave. Not again. He would tell us.”

“He was upset yesterday, Ianto –”

“I know that!” he said loudly. He knew better than she did how upset Jack had been; he was the one who had caused it. “But he was angry with me, not with Torchwood. He might go without telling me, but he would at least tell you.”

Gwen was staring at him wide-eyed, her jaw set. Ianto knew that she would not want to admit to being wrong, and in a way he also wanted her to be right. If she was, and Jack had simply left them, they were at least safe in the knowledge that he wasn’t in immediate danger. Despite his anger towards Jack because of the way he had been treated by him, Ianto didn’t want him in the hands of hostile aliens any more than she did. However, from the picture he had built for himself since arriving at the Hub that morning, he couldn’t believe that Jack had gone willingly.

The alarms attached to the cog door sounded for a third time, breaking the tense silence, and Gwen turned back to her workstation without another word. Ianto went back to making the coffee, setting out four mugs before picking up the pot and pouring first into Owen’s mug. The doctor headed straight for his morning coffee, picking it up and taking a long drink before murmuring, “You know, I’m getting really fed up of walking in here in the middle of an argument …”

“We weren’t arguing,” Ianto said, glancing over his shoulder at Gwen and hoping that she heard. The last thing they needed now was for the team to start fighting amongst themselves, and he didn’t want to be responsible for that. “We had a disagreement.”

He picked up Gwen’s mug and his own, walking over and setting hers down beside her keyboard. She looked up at him and smiled a little. “Thanks, Ianto.” He turned to go, but she caught his arm. “And you’re right – he probably would have told us if he was going to leave. He would have been in contact with one of us by now.”

Ianto nodded gratefully, then hurried back to his workstation before she could say more. He could understand Gwen’s reasons for assuming that Jack had simply gone off on his own again, since it was only a short time since his last unexplained disappearance and it was a far pleasanter possibility, but he was glad that he had managed to change her mind. If Jack was in danger, and every instinct Ianto had was telling him that that was the case, they needed to find him, and quickly.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack had given up trying to keep track of the time. The lack of stimuli in the room made it impossible to judge how many hours had passed since he had been taken. He shifted slightly, trying to relieve some of the pressure in his arms, hissing as the movement caused the metal cuffs to dig deeper into his skin. He let his thoughts drift back to his team, wondering how close they were to finding him. He would never admit it to his captors, but Jack was desperate to be back in the Hub. The darkness was oppressive and suffocating, and seemed to be closing in with every passing second. He wanted out.

However, other than waiting for the team or handing over the detonator, there was no way out. Jack forced himself to take a deep breath, closing his eyes and counting to ten in an effort to stave off the panic that threatened to claw its way up his throat and force itself out as a scream. This was all too similar to the Valiant. The Master had loved keeping him chained up in the dark, deprived of all senses as he slowly succumbed to death. He let his breath out slowly, reassuring himself once again that the team would come for him. They would find him and take him back to the Hub, where he would begin the arduous task of earning Ianto’s forgiveness.

Jack started as a noise, almost imperceptible, reached his ears. He peered into the blackness. His entire body stiffened as he braced himself for any oncoming assault. None came, and instead Jack was left with the eerie sensation of being watched.

He had just begun to relax, certain that he was alone and that the noise had been his imagination, when a finger slid down his spine. Cool to the touch, it travelled from the base of his neck to the small of his back, lingering there for a moment as if the owner was contemplating going lower. It took all of Jack’s reserve not to pull away from the unwelcome touch.

“Are you uncomfortable, Harkness?”

Jack winced as breath caressed his ear, the words a mere whisper that seemed to echo in the spacious room.

“What do you think?” he answered, turning his head to try and see his visitor. The darkness remained impenetrable, his eyes useless. Then, as if his thoughts had been read, the lights flared on and Jack had to close them against the sudden glare. When he opened them again it was to find the Antari leader standing before him. “Don’t tell me, you missed my good looks and charm.”

Jack raised an eyebrow, trying not to show any of the fear that churned in his gut. The Antari would only assume that their presence was the cause and that really wasn’t the case. Jack was more concerned about what they would do to him and what they might do if they managed to capture any of his team.

The Antari didn’t immediately answer. He studied Jack closely for a moment before tilting his head to one side and frowning. “You are a most challenging being, Harkness. Now, have you changed your mind about the Detonator?”

“No,” Jack said. “I’m not going to give you a Shothar Detonator. No one should have control over that amount of power.”

“And yet you do,” the Antari leader said, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Are you somehow better than the rest of us, more deserving of that kind of power?”

“I meant to disable it,” Jack snapped. Time was always short at Torchwood, and he had simply never got round to it. It wasn’t something that he could delegate to any of his team; not even Toshiko would have the knowledge required to safely dismantle the bomb. The risk of detonation was simply too great.

The Antari laughed, as if Jack had just said something entirely unbelievable. In a sense, Jack mused, he had. There were countless individuals in the universe who would love the power of a Shothar Detonator; he simply wasn’t one of them.

“You would destroy such a weapon, Harkness? Why, when it could be used in so many ways? Surely there must be a race that you would see destroyed?”

Jack drew his lips together in a fine line. “Maybe there is, but that doesn’t give me the right to do it.”

He shook his head, completely dismissing the idea. Tempting though it might be to have the power to annihilate one of the threats facing the universe, he could never do it. Even without the moral concerns, the destruction of an entire race would pose too serious a threat to the timelines.

“No one has the right,” he stated, lifting his jaw in defiance. “So there’s no way that I’m ever going to give you that Detonator.”

The alien frowned but showed no other signs of the frustration Jack knew he had to be feeling. He resisted the urge to smile, not wanting to anger his captors any more than he already had.

“Have it your way, Harkness.” The alien shook his head. “One could almost imagine you liked being kept in the dark like this.”

Before Jack could reply, he was plunged back into darkness. He swallowed, trying to keep his expression calm; the Antari clearly had excellent night vision and the last thing Jack wanted was for them to realise how on edge he was. He glanced round the room, wondering how much longer he would have to wait until he was found. The team were looking for him now, they had to be. It could only be a matter of time before they came for him, and when they did, the Antari would wish that they had never messed with Captain Jack Harkness.

 

Ianto sank down into his chair, rubbing at his eyes in an effort to stave off the growing exhaustion before glancing down at the stack of files on the desk before him. The words on the folders seemed to blur into one, reminding him that he hadn’t had coffee in far too long.

He groaned and stretched, considering heading up to the see the rest of the team. If he did venture out of the Archives, he would be able to find out if they had made any developments in his absence. The last significant breakthrough was his discovery of a grainy and blurred video depicting the reported spaceship. It hadn’t been a strong lead, but it was one nonetheless and Ianto had retreated to the archive in order to search for any potential matches. That had been well over three hours ago, with only a brief break for lunch.

He took a deep breath and picked up the next file, labelled ‘Xhotan’ in his own tidy hand. He flicked through the first couple of pages until he reached sketches of a variety of Xhotan spacecraft. Ianto didn’t need the video still to know that it wouldn’t correspond to the image before him. Closing the folder, he placed it on top of his discard pile before reaching for the next.

A small beep from his comms device made him pause. Ianto lifted his hand to activate it. “Yes?”

“Ianto.” It was Toshiko, and there was a hint of excitement and nervousness in her voice. Ianto felt his heart skip a beat; they must have found something. “I think you’d better come up here,” Toshiko continued, her words coming out in a rush. “Someone, or something, is trying open an audio-visual link with us.”

She didn’t need to elaborate. Bypassing the Hub’s security would take advanced technology, and the only people who were likely to have both that and a need to contact Torchwood would be Jack’s kidnappers. Ianto was already half way through the archives when he gave her a short reply.

“I’ll be right there, Tosh.”

He took the stairs two at a time. When he reached the main floor it was to find the rest of the team gathered around Toshiko’s computer. He hurried over, stepping in behind Toshiko’s chair and gripping the backrest. In the centre of the computer screen sat a small dialogue box.

INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM AN-CA-131: HOUR 0

ACCEPT?

YES          NO

Toshiko’s cursor hovered over the ‘yes’ option. Now Ianto was there, she glanced around at the rest of the team as if ensuring they were ready.

“Go on, Tosh,” Gwen urged. “Let’s see who we’re dealing with.”

She shot Ianto a brief smile, covering his hand with her own and giving it a brief squeeze. Ianto knew that it was a silent apology for having questioned Jack’s disappearance before and glanced over, nodding once in response before turning his attention back to the screen.

The moment Toshiko accepted the message the screen briefly went black as the video transmission opened. Ianto’s eyes were immediately drawn to the right of the screen where Jack stood, naked and chained to the ceiling. He bit his lip, quickly scanning the Captain’s body for any sign of injury. An absence of wounds meant nothing in Jack’s case, but it was a relief to see that Jack hadn’t been harmed recently.

He pulled his gaze from Jack to study the aliens on the screen. Two flanked Jack, both heavily muscled and armed with knives and guns. A leaner alien was standing in the foreground, his clothing and bearing marking him as their leader. Vaguely humanoid but with marked differences, they were a species Ianto had never before encountered. He quickly made a mental note of their features, intending on searching the archives for any information that might be of use.

“Greetings, Torchwood,” the leader said. “We are of the Antari. We contact you in hopes of making a trade. As you can see, we have in our possession your leader: Captain Jack Harkness. We are willing to return him to you in exchange for an item in your archives.”

Ianto bristled at the implication that Jack was their possession. He forced himself to keep silent, not wishing to endanger Jack by angering his captors.

“I’m afraid this isn’t up for negotiation,” Gwen answered for the team. “You will release Captain Harkness to us immediately or we will be forced to act against you. If you agree, then we may be able to discuss your situation further.”

The Antari smiled, glancing over his shoulder in Jack’s direction. “I am afraid that we cannot accept your demands, Miss Cooper.” The alien smiled, pausing to let the fact that he knew Gwen’s name sink in. Ianto shuddered despite himself; if they knew Gwen’s identity, they almost certainly knew all of Torchwood. The Antari had done their research before making their first move. Eventually, the leader continued, “The Captain will remain in our custody until you deliver the Shothar Detonator to us. Will you comply?”

Jack’s head snapped up at the demand and he glared out of the screen. “Don’t listen to them,” he shouted. “Forget about me – you cannot give them the device. Under no circumstances give them the Shothar Detonator!”

Ianto couldn’t hold in a soft gasp as he heard the name of the object the Antari wanted. Jack had shown it to him one night while they were cataloguing the artefacts in the secure Archives. He’d explained its capabilities before muttering something about needing to deactivate it. Ianto remembered that night, knowing that Jack couldn’t have found time and guessing that he had probably forgotten by the next morning.

“We can’t do that,” he said before anyone else could offer an answer. The refusal made his heart clench and his gut churn. Who knew what his words were condemning Jack to. His gaze flickered to Jack, then back to the Antari. “And I’m sure that Captain Harkness has already refused you.”

He kept his voice flat and emotionless, not wanting the Antari to realise how much he was affected by Jack’s helplessness.

“Ianto,” Gwen muttered, turning away from the screen and the Antari’s expectant gaze. “Do you know what they’re talking about?”

He glanced at her and murmured, “Yes, and I’ll explain later, but just trust me on this: we can’t give it to them. Jack wouldn’t want us to.”

He rubbed his hand over his face, trying to keep himself from crumpling. Jack needed them and he had to refuse him his freedom.

“We couldn’t give it to you if we wanted to,” he told the Antari leader. “The item is in the secure archives. None of us have access. I would recommend that you return Ja... Captain Harkness to us so that we can discuss things further.”

“No, Mr. Jones,” the Antari sneered. “You have not been listening. We will return Harkness to you if, and only if, you deliver the Shothar Detonator to us.”

“There are other ways,” Owen murmured, making sure to keep his voice low so his words couldn’t be picked up by the Antari on the other end of the transmission. “We’ll just have to get Jack back ourselves.”

Ianto nodded, distracted by the sight of Jack shifting uncomfortably against the shackles around his wrists and ankles. The video feed was excellent quality, and Ianto realised that he could even see blood where the metal had cut into Jack’s flesh. He hated having to leave Jack in such a position, but he knew that the Detonator was one item that could never fall into the wrong hands.

“Owen’s right,” he answered softly. “We can rescue Jack ourselves, without giving them the Detonator.”

“It looks like your friends are discussing my terms, Captain Harkness,” the alien on the screen said, smirking and half-turning towards Jack. “Perhaps in a moment they will agree after all, hmm?”

“No!” Jack shouted. “Do not give it to them – you have no idea what the Detonator is capable of! Don’t even think about handing it over! It’s not worth it – _I’m_ not worth it!”

Gwen turned to the screen, ready to give their reply, but before she could speak the Antari leader waved a hand to one of the guards flanking Jack and said something in his native tongue. Then he briefly turned back to the camera and informed them calmly, “I have asked my men to shut him up. He is giving me quite the headache.”

“Wait,” Gwen said as the guard stepped in front of Jack and drew back his fist. The Antari glanced at the screen and offered them a small smile, before turning away and pretending he hadn’t heard. Gwen’s eyes widened and she shouted again, “Wait!”

It made no difference. Ianto could only watch, helpless, as the guard landed his blow. There was a faint crunch and hastily stifled cries of pain as the guard hit Jack once, twice, three times before stepping away. He returned to his position, clearly satisfied, and wiped the blood from his knuckles on the cloth sarong around his waist.

Jack’s face was a mess. His eye was swollen shut, there was blood coming from his nose and the corner of his mouth. His jaw had borne the brunt of the attack. It was a battered mess, and Ianto suspected that it was probably broken. He heard the girls gasp and Owen mumble a curse, but none of the sounds registered. His fingers curled tighter around the back of the chair, knuckles whitening as he fought to stay upright.

“Jack...” he murmured, unable to tear his gaze from the Captain. Despite the beating he had just received, Jack’s expression was defiant as he raised his head to look into the camera.

For a long moment, no one else spoke; they simply stared into the screen in disbelief. In less than a minute, the Antari had revealed their true colours to Torchwood, and left all of them shocked and speechless. Eventually, Gwen leaned closer to the screen and said in a shaky voice, “We cannot give the Detonator to you.”

Jack’s eyes closed and his head dropped down onto his chest as if he were satisfied. Ianto too dropped his gaze, unable to look at the damage the aliens had done any longer.

“Very well, Torchwood.” Ianto jerked his head up, not liking the tone of the Antari’s voice one bit. He saw that the alien’s eyes had narrowed, his pupils contracting into thin, angry slits. “But you have seen what we are capable of. Your Captain will continue to suffer the consequences of your decision.”

The transmission cut off suddenly, the screens returning to familiar blue. Ianto swallowed thickly, clenching and unclenching his hands on the back of the chair. For a long moment, no one spoke, then Gwen’s hand landed on the back of his, offering a quick squeeze.

“We’ll get him back,” she said, her accent more pronounced than usual. “We are getting him back.”

Ianto nodded his agreement. He didn’t care what it took; they had to get Jack out of there.

“How?” Owen asked, looking around at each of them in turn. He folded his arms tightly across his chest. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we don’t have any leads!”

“I can try to run a trace on the source of the transmission,” Toshiko offered, turning to her computer and starting to type. After a few seconds, she paused and turned to the group again. “Although, I’d imagine that if they can hack into our computers, they will be able to cover their tracks …”

“Do it anyway, Tosh,” Gwen said. She sounded tired and stressed, and from the whiteness of her complexion Ianto guessed that she had been as affected by what the Antari had done to Jack as he was. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking at Owen and then at Ianto. “We need to discuss the information we do have. Ianto, go and collect anything useful you can find in the Archives. Owen, you continue going through the CCTV on the flats. They may have entered at ground-level at some point, even if they left by the air. We’ll reconvene in the boardroom in an hour.”

“What are you going to do?” Owen asked.

“I’m going to talk to the Police again, see if they’ve had any more strange phone calls that might be relevant,” she replied. “We’ll talk in an hour. Maybe we’ll have found something by then.”

As Ianto headed back towards the Archives, he hoped that would be the case. They needed to find Jack, and quickly – before the Antari decided to punish him further for Torchwood’s lack of cooperation.


	6. Chapter 6

Toshiko hurried into the silent boardroom to take her place at the table. She was the last to arrive. Owen had been all too happy to leave the endless CCTV images and Ianto had returned from the Archives a few minutes earlier to make coffee for them all. She smiled gratefully at him as she lifted her mug to her lips. Gwen was sitting in her usual place, which meant that once again there was a space at the head of the table. Toshiko found her eyes drawn to it, and then her memory supplied the image of Jack’s face, bloodied and broken, and she hastily dropped her gaze to the PDA she had put on the table in front of her. 

“OK,” Gwen said, taking a deep breath and looking around at everyone. She finally fixed her gaze on Ianto. “First of all: what is the Shothar Detonator and why do the Antari want it?”

Ianto flipped open one of the paper files in front of him and spun it around so that it would be easier for them to all see. “A Shothar Detonator is an explosive device capable of destroying an entire planet.”

Toshiko’s stomach clenched and beside her Owen swore. Ianto glanced around the table before he continued.

“The Detonator was invented by an alien race called the Shothar, hence the name, but the blueprints were sold to or stolen by other races, so the fact that it’s called a Shothar Detonator doesn’t necessarily mean that it was built by them. I don’t really know anything more about it, and the file seems to be deliberately vague. Since it’s in Jack’s handwriting, I’d guess that he didn’t want anyone who found this,” he tapped the paperwork with his fingers, “to be tempted to use it.”

“Why the hell do we have one in the vaults?” Owen asked as he snatched the front page out of the file and scanned the information on it. “Something that destructive – bit dangerous, isn’t it?”

“It must have come through the Rift,” Ianto said with a shrug. “One night when I was cataloguing the Secure Archives with – with Jack, he told me a little about it. Mostly that he was meaning to deactivate it. I’m guessing that he never found the time.”

Although Gwen and Owen probably missed it, Toshiko could see that Ianto was finding it difficult to talk about Jack. There was a haunted look in his eyes. She cleared her throat, carefully changing the subject as much as possible. “What about the Antari? Do we have any information about them?”

Ianto slid another folder out from under the open Shothar Detonator file, this one slightly thicker. He flipped it open and pulled out a grainy, sepia-toned photograph which he placed on the table. Although not the best quality, the creature they were looking at was clearly the same as the aliens who had taken Jack. It had the same flat facial structure and the bony ridge along its skull.

“Torchwood has encountered the Antari before – in 1894. Apparently, their policy back then was to shoot first and ask questions later, because this one died from the bullet wound inflicted during his capture less than twenty-four hours after he was brought to Torchwood,” Ianto said, occasionally glancing at the file in his hands. “They couldn’t communicate with him, but the autopsy revealed that the Antari share much of the same anatomy as us, but they appear to be exclusively vegetarian and cold-blooded. Some of their anatomy suggests that they evolved from amphibians. The technology this one had on him indicates that they’re far more advanced than we are.”

“Did you look at the Antari technology Torchwood recovered?” Gwen asked, taking the file from Ianto’s hands and taking a look at the paperwork for herself.

“I did,” he said with a sigh. “And even a hundred years of human progress hasn’t brought us up to the same level. Considering that they’ve had the same amount of time to advance their science and technology, I’d say that we’re lagging behind by quite a way.”

Gwen sighed and laid the file down on the table top. “Toshiko, what did you find out from the boxes?”

“Basically, that Ianto is right,” she said as she picked up her PDA and transferred some of the information she had saved there to the screen on the wall. “These are the Rift energy readings for each of the boxes before I started to dismantle them. However, as soon as I took out the power source the readings dropped back to normal background levels. I think the Antari may have found a way to artificially replicate Rift energy – or something close enough to fool our sensors. I would need to run more tests to find out for sure, but it seems likely.”

There was a silence around the boardroom table as each of them thought about the implications of this. If they were outmatched in both weaponry and technology, the possibility of rescuing Jack was remote at best. Toshiko glanced at Owen; from the look on his face, he thought it was impossible.

“That means that they knew about the Rift monitor,” Gwen said eventually. She spoke softly, but there was dread in her voice. “This was obviously a trap for Jack – they knew that Rift energy would draw him out. They could choose the time and the place …”

“They’ve been watching us,” Owen snarled. “They knew our names, they knew about the Rift monitor – hell, maybe they even knew Ianto wouldn’t come with us!”

Toshiko saw Ianto’s expression shift into a blank mask to hide whatever emotion he was feeling. She glanced at Owen, wishing that he had chosen his words better. With another look at Ianto, who was now staring at the Shothar Detonator folder with an unreadable expression, she decided it was time to change the subject.

“I ran a trace on the transmission they sent us,” she announced. “I didn’t find anything conclusive, because I kept getting blocked. I can try again, but I think I’ll only have limited success. If they contact us again, I have a plan: I’ve installed a new program to help me track them. It’s partly ordinary code, partly alien technology; I’m hoping it will be enough to help me beat their system so that we can get a fix on their location.” 

“Good,” Gwen said. “We need to find them, and somehow tracing their next transmission seems to be the only way. I contacted the Police, and there haven’t been any other potential sightings – no alien ships, no ‘people in Halloween-masks’, nothing out of the ordinary.”

“I haven’t seen anything on the CCTV, either,” Owen told her. He paused for a moment, then added, “Well, I’ve seen things – some of which I never want to witness again – but nothing alien.”

Toshiko winced in sympathy. She could all too easily imagine what might go on in the neighbourhood around the condemned building, and she didn’t envy Owen having to watch it. For a few moments, they were all silent; then Gwen took a deep breath.

“OK. We need to find the Antari ship. That’s our priority,” she told them, folding her hands on the table. “We don’t know how long it’s going to be before they send another transmission, or what they might do to Jack in that time, so we need to see if there’s any other way of finding them.”

“I’ll keep trying to track the transmission,” Toshiko offered, and Gwen nodded her agreement.

“What are the rest of us going to do?” Owen asked. He sounded frustrated, with good reason Toshiko thought. After all, there was little any of the others could do for the time being.

“Search for Rift spikes and energy readings that are unusual, scan for alien tech. – anything that might indicate a space ship,” Gwen told him decisively as she stood up and started towards the door. Grumbling, Owen rose to his feet.

“Least it’s not more bloody CCTV,” he muttered as he passed Toshiko’s chair. He paused for a moment behind her to squeeze her shoulder, then followed Gwen out of the door.

Ianto was collecting the papers Gwen and Owen had taken from the files he had brought from the Archives. Toshiko watched him for a few seconds and realised that his hands were trembling slightly. She got up and walked around the table, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Ianto?”

“I’m fine,” he told her without prompting, turning his face away so that she couldn’t see his expression. Toshiko slid her hand down until it covered his and squeezed gently.

“I know,” she murmured, offering him a small smile which he didn’t turn around to see. For a few seconds, Ianto didn’t even move. Then he carefully closed the files one after the other.

“I just want him back,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper. Toshiko squeezed his hand again.

“We’ll find him. I’ve yet to find a computer system I can’t hack,” she said, determined that they would find a way. They were Torchwood; they always found a way. Then she remembered Suzie, and the statistics she had once stumbled upon while updating the personnel files that declared that the average life expectancy of a Torchwood employee was thirty. She shuddered and told herself that Jack couldn’t die, but the image of his broken jaw loomed in her memory. There were worse things than death. She swallowed hard, forcing the sick feeling back, and repeated, “We will, Ianto.”

He turned and gave her a watery smile, then pulled his hand out from under hers and left the room at a brisk pace. Toshiko stood still for a moment, collecting herself, then grabbed her PDA from the table and hurried out of the boardroom. There was no time for worrying; she had a transmission to track.

 

Owen rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock in the corner of his screen. It was almost six p.m.; someone would have to put in their usual order to Jubilee Pizza soon. He glanced over at Ianto, who was normally responsible for feeding them when they decided to stay in the Hub after hours. The younger man looked drawn and tired, but totally absorbed in his task of studying the Rift data from their scans. He didn’t even appear to be aware of the time, much less willing to do something about dinner.

With a sigh, Owen got up and stretched the stiffness out of his muscles before walking over to Gwen. He looked over her shoulder at the stream of readings running across her screen. He could see at a glance that they were all normal and resisted the urge to swear in frustration. They had been searching for evidence of the Antari spaceship for hours, and no one had found even a trace of them.

After a few second, Gwen looked up at him with her eyebrows raised questioningly. He cleared his throat. “I was thinking of getting food …”

“Good idea,” she murmured. “It looks like we could be here for a while yet.”

“You don’t say,” he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. He couldn’t help it; it was a subconscious defence mechanism to disguise his very real worry for Jack. Gwen glared at him and he shifted uncomfortably under her stare. “I’ll get the usual then, shall I?”

She nodded, then turned back to her screen without another word. Owen turned back to his desk to grab his mobile phone. Thanks to some alien tech Torchwood had conveniently picked up in the early nineties, the mobile phone reception in the Hub was excellent, but he sensed that a potentially loud conversation with the people at Jubilee Pizza wouldn’t be welcome in the Hub itself. He snatched his phone from beside his keyboard and started towards the Hothouse. He made it half-way up the stairs when Toshiko’s voice stopped him in his tracks.

“I have another incoming transmission.”

He turned slowly to find that the rest of the team seemed as stunned as he was. They were staring around at one another in silence. Then Gwen seemed to pull herself together.

“Can you work on a trace from the boardroom?” she asked, and when Toshiko nodded and continued, “Re-route it to the main screen in there.”

Owen jogged back down the steps and placed his phone down carefully, shooting an anxious glance towards Ianto. His face was drawn and Owen could tell that he was not alone in his fears for Jack’s welfare. On his way to the boardroom, he clapped the younger man on the shoulder.

Once they were all sitting around the boardroom table, Gwen cleared her throat and nodded to Toshiko. Owen watched as she pressed a button on her PDA and the main screen flickered on, showing a similar message to the last:

INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM AN-CA-131: HOUR 6

ACCEPT?

YES                 NO

“Ready?” Gwen asked, glancing around at each of them in turn. Then she turned to face the screen as she ordered, “Accept it, Tosh.”


	7. Chapter 7

Toshiko pressed a button to accept the incoming Antari transmission. The screen flickered and then brightened into an image of the interior of the Antari ship. Jack was still hanging naked from the ceiling. There was more blood on his arms as a result of the metal cuffs cutting deeper into his wrists. His face was still puffy and bruised, but from what Owen could see, Jack had not been injured since the last transmission. He had, however, been gagged with a piece of brightly-coloured cloth, presumably to prevent him from talking to them again. Owen wondered if the bones in his jaw had recovered completely from the Antari’s brutality by now. If not, the gag probably wasn’t doing them any favours.

After a few moments, the Antari who had spoken to them before stepped into view and gave them a smile. Owen could see Jack glaring at the back of his skull with undisguised hatred. “Good evening, Torchwood. I wonder, have you been thinking about Captain Harkness? I imagine you have.”

“What do you want?” Gwen asked. Owen was impressed; she didn’t let her fear or her concern for Jack seep into her voice when she spoke, even though he could see her hands clenched together on the table-top.

“I wanted to ask you if you were willing to grant our request,” the Antari said. He was still smiling. Two more Antari, both evidently guards, walked into the shot and took up positions on either side of Jack. The Antari leader glanced behind him. “I see some of you have noticed my men. Don’t worry. Harkness has nothing to fear, if you will only give in to my demands.”

Jack began to shake his head rapidly. One of the guards smacked the back of his head with the flat of his hand so hard that Jack swayed, held upright only by the chains.

“We cannot give the Detonator to you,” Gwen told the alien firmly. “We don’t have the access codes –”

“Please, Miss Cooper,” the Antari leader said with a sneer. “You will understand by now that we know your little organisation inside out, so do not insult me with your lies. You can access the Detonator. You simply do not want to.”

“Look, this is hardly fair,” Gwen said quickly. Owen could see that she was stalling for time; the longer they could keep the leader occupied, the longer they could keep his attention, the less Jack would potentially have to suffer. He could see that Gwen, at least, was thinking along the same lines: they were going to hurt Jack again to try to force them into handing over the Detonator. “You know all about us, and we know nothing about you – won’t you at least tell us your name?”

The Antari leader laughed. “How very human. If you insist on something to call me, Miss Cooper, you may address me as General. Now, if we may return to the matter in hand: will you give us the Detonator? Think carefully; I will not ask so nicely again.”

“No,” Gwen said simply. Owen could see that she wasn’t looking at the screen, and he could understand why. He didn’t want to have to see what the Antari would do in response to another refusal. He kept his eyes trained on the General anyway, knowing that he had to watch the consequences of their refusal even if he didn’t want to.

“Very well,” the General said. He turned, his cloak swirling around him, and barked an order to the guards before striding out of the shot.

The team watched as the two guards quickly took off the metal cuffs around Jack’s ankles and wrists, forcing his cramped arms down to his sides so quickly that he cried out. Then they dragged him off to one side; this time, the camera followed the movement. For a few moments, their view of Jack was blocked by the two guards. When they stepped back, Owen saw that he had been strapped to a wooden chair; his thighs were held in place by thick straps, as were his abused wrists and ankles. The General was standing behind him, tugging at the gag.

“You bastard,” Jack snarled as soon as his mouth was free. “They’ll never give it to you.”

“We shall see,” the General said sweetly, stroking his long, slender fingers through Jack’s hair. Jack tried to pull away, but the Antari clenched his fist in his hair and held him still. He bent to murmur something into Jack’s ear, but in the quiet of the room it was picked up by the camera’s microphone: “Smile for the video, Captain.”

Owen glanced nervously at Ianto. Despite his attempt at keeping a calm expression, Owen could see the cracks: he was panicking, terrified for Jack’s safety. As he turned back to the screen, Owen couldn’t blame him.

“When we came to your planet, little impressed us,” the Antari General said softly, addressing the team once again. “You are a weak little race, and your technology is pitiful. However, when we laid our trap in one of your buildings, we found some things that intrigued us. This, for example.”

One of his hands was still tangled in Jack’s hair, forcing him to stare into the camera; with the other, he made a beckoning gesture. One of the guards stepped into view. He was carrying a sledgehammer in both hands, the bunched muscles on his arms prominent as he hefted it up to chest-height. A cold dread settled in Owen’s stomach. Whatever they were about to see, it was going to be bad.

“There are so many uses for this thing,” the General said as he smiled out of the screen. “Remember, Torchwood: you did this.”

Then he said a word to the guard holding the sledgehammer. Time seemed to slow down for Owen. He watched with horrified fascination as the guard lifted the sledgehammer up onto his shoulder, positioning himself to one side of Jack’s chair. He saw Jack try to struggle, his panic clear even through the screen. The guard swung the hammer down so that it struck Jack’s right kneecap with devastating force.

As Jack’s scream filled his ears, the medical part of Owen’s brain took over, taking a toll of the damage. Jack’s patella would be crushed and shattered beyond repair. The impact would have forced the patella down onto his tibia and fibula, probably crushing the upper section and breaking them in several places. The bones of his foot might be safe, but that depended on the force of the blow. The breaks and shattering could have punctured and torn the muscle tissue, as well.

He tried not to look at Jack’s face. Instead, he focused on the General, who was still smiling as he looked down at Jack. Though he couldn’t hear over Jack’s harsh cries, he saw the Antari’s lips move. The guard moved over to Jack’s other side and raised the sledgehammer again.

This time, Owen couldn’t watch. He already knew what was going to happen. He turned his gaze to the tabletop beside him, focussing on his own reflection. A moment later, Jack’s howling ramped up another notch and he shuddered. He couldn’t even imagine the pain he was in. He didn’t want to imagine it.

He forced himself to look around the table. Toshiko was staunchly not looking at the screen, though her eyes were open and she was staring down at the PDA in her lap. Gwen had her eyes screwed shut. Ianto, however, was staring into the screen with an expression of horror. It didn’t look like he was breathing.

“Remember this, Torchwood – and think what we might do next time, should you continue to keep our Shothar Detonator from us.”

Owen whirled around to see the General had approached the camera again, probably to make himself heard over Jack’s cries of agony. He raised his fingers – the detached, medical side of Owen’s brain noted that they were webbed up to the second knuckle – and waved before moving aside to let the camera focus on Jack again. The two guards moved in and hastily unstrapped him from the chair, hauling him upright and jolting another agonised howl from his lips. They dragged him back to the chains and forced him into them, his broken legs hanging uselessly at uncomfortable angles and all his weight now supported on his wrists.

The camera zoomed in on his face until it filled the screen and this time Owen couldn’t look away from the agony etched into Jack’s features and the involuntary tears that streamed down his face. Then, mercifully, the screen went black.

The sound of a chair being hastily pushed back caught Owen’s attention and he turned to see Ianto rushing out of the boardroom with a hand over his mouth. He wasn’t surprised; he felt sick himself, and couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Ianto to see his lover in such a situation. He was fairly sure that, in Ianto’s shoes, he would have escaped the boardroom before now. He shuddered and looked over at Toshiko, checking that she was as well as could be expected. She was pale and her hands weren’t quite steady, but she didn’t seem to be too badly shaken, considering the circumstances.

“Someone should check he’s all right,” Gwen said after a few moments. She sounded as queasy as Owen felt, but she had got to her feet even if she had to lean heavily on the table.

“I’ll go,” he offered, standing up and starting towards the door. Suddenly, he thought of Jack’s shattered legs and had to grab hold of the doorframe to steady himself. With a final glance back at the girls, he hurried after Ianto.

 

Ianto stepped out of the cubicle, dragging a hand across his mouth as he headed towards the row of sinks. His fingers curled around the edge of one as he leant heavily against it, dropping his head down and letting out a deep breath.

“Ianto, you alright, mate?”

Ianto glanced briefly to the side. Owen lingered in the doorway, looking very much like he wasn’t sure whether or not to enter. He turned away, catching sight of his reflection in the mirror and wincing. No wonder Owen looked so concerned: he looked awful – skin pale, dark circles under his eyes and hands trembling.

“Ianto?” Owen ventured again, and out of the corner of his eye Ianto saw him take a few steps closer.

“The girls sent you down to check on me, then?” Ianto turned the tap on, letting it run as he glanced over at Owen. “Well, I’m fine. Considering.”

His gut clenched as the transmission flashed through his mind in sickening clarity. He could see every flicker of emotion on Jack’s face and still hear his screams. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and cupped his hands beneath the stream of water, splashing it over his face.

“You know, everyone would understand if you weren’t alright,” Owen said, coming up to stand beside him. His hand hovered in mid-air before coming to rest on Ianto’s back. “It couldn’t have been easy watching that. Sure wasn’t for the rest of us and, well, you and Jack …”

“I’m fine,” Ianto repeated, wincing as his voice cracked. He refused to look at Owen, pulling away from his touch and reaching for a towel. Burying his face in it, he let out a long breath as he blinked furiously and tried to quell the lump that had risen in his throat. He wouldn’t cry – not in front of Owen, at any rate.

“Jack’ll be fine, though.” Owen shrugged. “Takes more than a few alien bastards to stop him.”

Ianto stiffened and lifted his head to glare at Owen. His fingers tightened their grip on the towel as he resisted the urge to punch the doctor, knowing that it would do more harm than good.

“I wouldn’t be so certain about that.”

Ianto shook his head, folding the towel and placing it back on the rail. Owen couldn’t understand; Jack never let the others see him as anything less than indestructible. Ianto knew that there was far more to him than that. It was him that Jack talked to after the daily rigours of their job and him Jack clung to after waking from one of his far too frequent nightmares. Ianto knew every side to Captain Jack Harkness – even those he would have preferred to keep hidden – and he knew that the scars Jack returned with would not be physical.

“You know what I meant,” Owen said, his voice surprisingly gentle as he stepped close to Ianto once again. “I’m not saying I don’t care about what they’re doing to him on that ship, because I really do. But at least we get him back – and alive. At the end that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

Ianto wanted to protest, wanted to tell Owen that he was wrong. That of course it mattered how much Jack suffered. And it did, but there was a tiny, niggling voice in the back of his mind that insisted that Owen was right. At least they would get Jack back alive.

“I suppose,” he murmured but he was still far from convinced. He drew his hands over his face, straightening himself up and banishing all vestiges of emotion. If he could make everyone else believe he was calm, maybe he could begin to believe it too. He needed to stay calm – for Jack.

“We’d better not keep the girls waiting,” he said. “And I think we’re all ready for a round of coffee.”

Turning quickly, to hide a grimace brought on by the thought of ingesting anything – even coffee – Ianto turned and headed for the door.

 

The main Hub was silent when Ianto returned; clearly the content of the transmission played heavily on everyone’s mind. Gwen was watching CCTV footage, the distant look in her eye revealing that she had started to give up hope that anything useful would be found. Toshiko was typing into her computer, eyes fixed on the screen as her brow crinkled in concentration. Ianto didn’t want to read too much into it, he didn’t want to give himself any false hope of rescuing Jack. It would only hurt more when they met with failure.

He hurried over to the coffee machine, starting it up before turning back to glance around the Hub. Owen had returned, he noticed. The doctor was standing beside Gwen, conversing with her in low tones. Ianto didn’t need long to work out what – or rather, who - they were discussing. The sidelong glances they kept shooting in his direction were anything but subtle.

No doubt they were wondering if he was falling apart, or worrying needlessly about him. Ianto frowned, turning back to the coffee machine and preparing the drinks. He couldn’t really fault them for their concern but that didn’t mean it didn’t bother him. He might have been concerned for Jack’s welfare but he wouldn’t allow it to affect his work – in fact, the concern only fed his determination to find Jack and set things right.

“I’ve got something!” Toshiko shouted breaking the silence.

Ianto looked over; he could see strings of data on the screen but nothing he could make sense of from this distance. He took a step forward, holding his breath as Toshiko continued.

“It wasn’t easy, but I’ve managed to triangulate the position of the alien ship. I traced the transmission back to the edge of Cardiff – a deserted bit of wasteland, out of the way and certainly large enough to hold a space craft. I’m fairly certain that’s where Jack’s being held.”

“Or it could be another trap,” Owen put in as he and Gwen moved to stand behind Toshiko. Ianto took one last glance at the coffee before moving to join them, trying to quench the hope that was beginning to build inside of him. It didn’t matter, the hope died as soon as Toshiko brought up an image of the CCTV – the wasteland was empty.

“But there’s nothing there,” Gwen said, confusion evident in her voice.

Toshiko nodded. “It does appear that way, but I’m still getting readings. Now, considering we’ve not had any reports of an alien craft we have to consider two possibilities – either Owen’s right and this is another trap, or the ship is there but hidden by a perception filter or some kind of cloaking device. We have no way of knowing which until we get there.”

“And when we do, how are we going to find this invisible spaceship?” Owen grumbled. He glanced around. “I can’t see them welcoming us with open arms.”

Ianto frowned, finally turning away from the CCTV image. “We do have a scanner capable of revealing invisible items - even those disguised by a perception filter. I’ll go and get it.

He headed towards the archives, glad of the opportunity to escape the Hub and all the concerned glances from his teammates. He paused only briefly at the archive workstation to run a quick search on the database. The scanner flashed up on the screen. It looked simple enough to figure out the basic features and Ianto hoped nothing more complex would be needed. He made a mental note of the location before moving deeper into the archives.

The alien artefacts were stored in a series of rooms that could only be accessed by a code. The whole team were allowed access but Ianto knew that he was the only one who had bothered to memorise the code. He keyed it in, waiting as the door slid open to reveal a long room, lined with shelves stacked with alien tools, toys and various other pieces of Rift debris.

Ianto moved silently through the shelves, his eyes flickering absently over the numbers. Reaching the section he needed, he began to search through the bagged scanners for the correct one. Picking it up, he turned it over in his hands, studying it closely. This was it, then; this was the key to Jack’s salvation.

He turned, and left the room. As he stepped out into the corridor his eyes fell on an unobtrusive door on the opposite wall. It seemed to blend into the stone, making it difficult to see if you weren’t already aware that it was there. It was the storeroom which housed some of the more dangerous artefacts. The weapons and technology Jack didn’t feel required storing in the secure archives but that needed to be kept apart from the general technology. Ianto’s fingers curled tighter around the scanner as he considered the weapons in that room. Jack had said that some should never be used; they were far too painful, too cruel. Ianto bit his lip, willing the temptation away. Right now, there was nothing he would consider too cruel to use on the Antari. They deserved it for what they had done to Jack.

Jack’s agonised screams echoed through his mind and he found himself taking a step towards the room. His fingers were brushing against the keypad before he realised what he was doing. Jack had forbidden the use of these weapons for a reason but Ianto was certain he would be forgiven a moment of weakness. The question was: could he forgive himself for becoming like the Antari?


	8. Chapter 8

Ianto could hear the muted sounds of an argument as he neared the main floor of the Hub. The voices were loud enough that he could hear the tone of voice but he couldn’t make out what was being said. Frowning, he picked up his pace, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He’d come to assume that not everyone could have his impeccable manners, but did they really have to talk about him behind his back?

Even if his suspicions hadn’t been confirmed by the silence that descended as he entered the main Hub, the sharp nudge that Toshiko dealt Owen was proof enough. He did raise his eyebrow then, crossing the room to hand Toshiko the scanner.

“I presume you’ve managed to formulate a plan in my absence?” Ianto glanced around the others. Owen and Gwen, in particular, seemed unwilling to meet his gaze. He frowned, wondering what exactly they had argued over.

“We’re still working on it,” Gwen said, as she shifted slightly and finally met Ianto’s gaze. He could tell she was still smarting from losing the argument. “Without plans of the Antari craft there is only so much we can plan out – but once we’re on board we’ll have a better idea.” She cleared her throat, “Once Toshiko has pinpointed the craft, we should be able to locate its entrances. From there our priority will be to find Jack.” Her eyes found Ianto’s. “However tempting it might be – I want minimal casualties among the Antari. I don’t want to give them any reason for revenge, am I understood?”

Ianto nodded. “And when we find Jack?”

“We get him out, bring him back here and Owen will do his best to make him comfortable.” Gwen told them. She glanced away again, and Ianto could tell she too was trying not to think about the state Jack would be in when they found him, or about how difficult it would be to get him out of the craft while causing him as little pain as was possible. Before Ianto could speak, though, she had glanced up, her face hard. “Right, Tosh, I need you to understand that machine completely by the time we leave. Owen – assemble a med kit, you know what’ll be best for Jack. Ianto, are you sure...”

“There’s nothing else in the archives.” Ianto told her, deflecting what he knew would be another question about his wellbeing and how it would affect his ability in the field. “I’ve searched for every feasible spelling of ‘Antari’ I can imagine. There’s nothing.” He glanced in the direction of the med bay. “I’ll go and give Owen a hand – you know what he’s like for organisation.”

He hurried away before she could say anything else, jogging down the steps to the med bay. It would help if he knew what and where everything was in the med kit if he were to help Owen treat Jack, and it would give him something to do. Besides, if anyone was going to tell him what had transpired before his return, it would be Owen.

The medic glanced up as he approached. Any surprise he might have felt was covered up immediately, and he turned away, back to his medical supplies.

“I need some bandages, they’re in that cupboard,” he gestured with his thumb, “and some of those industrial strength painkillers. If we’re going to get Jack out of there, he’s going to need them.”

Ianto hurried to do as Owen asked, collecting the items and turning to add them to the medical kit. He sighed when he saw the state of it, emptying the contents before repacking it more compactly.

“You know,” Owen said reappearing at his elbow and adding a few more bottles to the pile, “you’d better not lose it in there – Gwen reckons you will. She didn’t want you to come – said you’d be ‘emotionally compromised’. Let’s not prove her right, eh?”

Ianto’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. He had wondered if the argument had been about something like that. “Bit rich of her after that thing with Rhys,” he muttered. “And you needn’t worry about me, Owen. I’ll be fine.”

“I said as much,” Owen said, “it soon shut her up.” He shrugged, moving away to collect more equipment “She’s just worried, about you as well as Jack. We can’t afford to have another man down – especially not you. Jack’s going to need you when this is through, and I don’t mean laid up in hospital because of some stupid rescue stunt.”

Despite the gravity of the situation and the worry that clawed at his gut, Ianto found himself smiling. “Never knew you cared so much, Owen.”

Owen snorted, turning to regard Ianto. “Who said I did? I’m going to have my work cut out with Jack injured – I don’t need you as a patient too.” He scowled. “Having to treat you and Jack at the same time is any doctor’s nightmare.”

Ianto raised an eyebrow before returning to packing the medical kit. Owen’s surliness was just for show; Ianto knew that if it came to he would be prepared to do anything to save one of the team – no matter how much he might moan about it.

“Rest assured, Owen. I won’t be doing anything stupid,” he said, not adding that he didn’t consider getting injured, or even killed, that stupid if it guaranteed Jack’s freedom. He would gladly give his life a thousand times over if it prevented Jack a lifetime of suffering. He smiled sadly to himself as Owen turned away, wondering how much of a fool that made him: that he would sacrifice himself out of love for a man who would never return it.

“That’s everything,” Owen said suddenly, placing a couple more items on the table. Ianto hurriedly added them to the pack, zipping it up and passing it over to Owen. The doctor reached over to grasp it, leaning across the table to give Ianto’s shoulder a brief squeeze as he did so.

“Come on,” he said, “Let’s go and hurry the girls up, then we can go and get our Captain back.”

 

The ride out to the edge of Cardiff was tense. Owen’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel and, in the back of the SUV, Toshiko and Ianto’s discussion of how to use the scanner was subdued. From what Gwen could gather from their conversation, it took readings of whatever was placed in front of it, in this case the ship, and approximated an image to display on the screen. All they had to do once they could ‘see’ the ship was to use the Universal Key, retrieved from Jack’s desk drawer, on the nearest door, and they would be inside.

The way everyone was talking about the mission made it sound as if, once they were in, everything would run smoothly: they would find Jack and get him out without meeting resistance. Gwen was certain that this would not be the case, and she knew that she wasn’t the only one to think so. They were all trying to block out the fact that it was highly likely that the Antari would see them coming and attack without remorse.

Owen pulled up just out of sight of the wasteland where the Antari ship was supposedly located. Gwen twisted around in her seat. “Tosh, can you use the scanner?”

“I think so,” she replied. Ianto wordlessly handed it over to her. Gwen nodded.

“Good. Tosh, I want you to stick with Ianto. The two of you scan the ship, find a door, and get it open. If you see any Antari, find some shelter. Owen and I will cover you. As soon as the door is open, we’ll join you and get inside. I want the two of you to guard our exit.”

Ianto frowned. “But –”

“No, Ianto,” Gwen said firmly. “I’m sorry, I know that you’re good in the field, but we don’t know what state Jack will be in when we find him. I need Owen with me.”

“Owen and I could go,” Ianto said, raising his jaw a fraction in defiance. Gwen knew that her logic was sound, however, and that Ianto could see the sense in it, too. She sighed deeply.

“They see me as the leader now that they have Jack,” she explained. She wished the weight of that responsibility did not fall on her shoulder, but there was no changing it now. “If I don’t lead the rescue, they might see it as weakness.”

Ianto nodded once, though he looked far from happy about the situation. Gwen turned to Owen. “Are you going to take your medical kit?”

“Just a sedative,” he replied tersely. “I doubt I’ll have time for anything else while we’re in there. I can treat him properly on the way back to the Hub. If we find him at all.”

“I’ll try to get a plan of the ship using the scanner,” Toshiko offered softly. “I’m not promising accuracy, but it might help you a little.”

Gwen offered her a tight-lipped smile and glanced at Ianto. He was staring out of the window, apparently calm after his earlier outburst. She wasn’t sure that she would be able to hold it together so well if it was Rhys who was being tortured by aliens. Before the thought could really take hold in her mind, she shook herself and looked around at the team. “OK. Let’s go.”

As the rest of the team got out of the SUV and checked their gear, Gwen walked to the end of the wall Owen had parked behind. She peered around the corner. The wasteland looked as empty now as it had on the CCTV image.

Someone laid a hand on her shoulder. She gasped, surprised, and turned to see Toshiko standing beside her, the scanner in her hand. She glanced down at the screen. “Look.”

Gwen’s heart leapt when she looked at the display. The word ‘calculating’ flashed up every few seconds, but already a blocky image was forming behind it. She grinned in triumph and squeezed Toshiko’s arm. “They’re here.”

“Looks like it,” she murmured. Her face was determined as she pressed a few buttons on the scanner. “I’ll need to get closer to see anything in detail.”

Gwen glanced over her shoulder to see Ianto and Owen heading towards them. Ianto gave her a tense smile. “I’m ready.”

“OK. You cover Toshiko, get as close as you can to the ship and follow the plan. Owen and I will give you covering fire if the Antari appear. I saw a skip we can use as protection.”

Ianto shared a glance with Toshiko before pulling out his gun from its holster and leading the way around the corner. Gwen took out her own gun and flicked the safety off, waiting a few seconds before she too ducked out from the shelter of the wall. As she strode across the open space between the wall and the skip, her eyes flicked over Toshiko and Ianto. They were making their way quickly but cautiously towards the ship. There didn’t seem to be any problems so far.

She dashed behind the skip and felt the familiar wash of relief at being under cover. She crouched, her body mostly hidden but her gun levelled in the direction of the ship. Owen jogged past her and took up his position, peering over the top edge of the skip.

“Think we’ll get in?” he asked. Gwen resisted the urge to turn to face him, forcing herself to scan the wasteland again.

“We have to.”

The seconds ticked by and Gwen grew more and more tense. It was taking too long; there was no way the Antari, with their superior technology and surveillance, hadn’t spotted them. Any moment now, they would be out of their ship and shooting at them. Then, finally, Toshiko raised an arm and pointed at something Gwen could not see. She watched as the two of them hurried over to the ship, Ianto raising a hand and placing it against the invisible hull.

“We’ve found a door,” Ianto informed her through the comms as Toshiko put down the scanner and pulled out her gun. He had already placed the Universal Key against the invisible metal. Gwen shot a brief glance at Owen.

“Get ready. We need to move fast.”

“I know,” he snapped.

Suddenly, the door of the spaceship slid open out of nowhere, revealing a dimly lit metal corridor, a window in the world suspended two feet off the ground. Gwen stood and tugged once at Owen’s sleeve before breaking from the limited cover of the skip and running towards Toshiko and Ianto.

She arrived at the door panting. Ianto held out the Universal Key and she took it with a nod of thanks. Owen skidded to a halt beside them and looked at Toshiko. “Nice work.”

“Thank you,” she replied as she positioned herself beside the door so that she could see down the corridor. “Your turn now.” She passed her PDA to Gwen. “The scanner is still working on a plan of the ship. I’ve synched it with my PDA, the map should automatically update. I don’t know how helpful it will be.”

“Thanks, Tosh,” Gwen murmured. She clipped the Universal Key to her belt and glanced back at Owen. “Ready?”

“Ready. I’ll take the lead, you tell me what’s ahead.”

She nodded and stepped back from the door to let Owen climb into the ship. Because of the height of the door, he was forced to grab the edges to haul himself inside, leaving him momentarily exposed. A few tense seconds later, he was inside. He raised his gun and looked left and right before turning to give Gwen a hand.


	9. Chapter 9

The air inside the corridor was humid. Gwen reached out to touch the metal wall. It too was warm. She took a deep breath and turned to look at Toshiko and Ianto.

“Keep our exit as clear as you can,” she told them. “We’ll try to keep you updated. If you see any Antari, tell us and we’ll come straight back.”

She didn’t wait for a reply; she didn’t want another argument with Ianto. She gave Owen a nod and he headed down the corridor to the left, gun raised in front of him. Gwen followed, her eyes darting from the PDA display to the corridor and back. Every few seconds, she glanced over her shoulder, checking again and again in case the Antari were there. Although she could see no cameras or sensors, there was a distinct feeling of being watched.

“I don’t like this,” Owen murmured as they approached the first corner. “It’s like the flats. It feels like a trap.”

“We have to find Jack,” Gwen said firmly. Trap or not, they couldn’t come this far just to give up. Owen scowled at her over his shoulder.

“I know,” he said through gritted teeth. “What’s around this corner?”

Gwen checked their rear once more before turning her attention to the PDA and zooming out on the map. The corridor they were in seemed to follow the outer hull of the ship up until this point, then turned inwards, towards its heart. She could see a potential engine room in the direction they had come from, indicated by high energy readings. There was another large, empty space in front of it in which energy and technology readings were low. The level above, when she scrolled up to look, seemed to be divided into smaller chambers: probably crew quarters. There was one room larger than the rest, but Gwen guessed from the scanner’s sophisticated readings that it was probably some kind of control room or bridge. She tapped Owen on the shoulder.

“I think he’s being held there,” she told him, pointing at the large, empty space on their level. “The room they were in on the video was easily that size, and I can’t see any other likely places to start.”

Owen nodded in agreement. “Around the corner, straight ahead until we’re about half-way along that corridor, and look for a likely-looking door. Got it.”

He took a deep breath, checked his gun one last time, then darted around the corner, muscles still tensed and ready to fire. Gwen held her breath, ready to drop the PDA and draw her own weapon. Owen relaxed minutely. “Clear.”

She let him move a few steps down the corridor before she followed. The feeling of eyes on the back of her neck intensified.

“Owen …”

“I know,” he murmured, but he continued to advance. Gwen quietly clipped the PDA to her belt and pulled her gun, half-turning to walk along the corridor sideways. She didn’t trust the Antari not to attack from behind. She didn’t want to run the risk of not hearing them.

Doors lined the corridor on the left-hand side. They were all flat to the wall and were obviously operated by the key-pads beside them. Gwen eyed each one with growing suspicion. The map had not shown these rooms, and the chamber was on the right-hand side. Her heart pounded in her ears. The more they explored the Antari ship without resistance, the more convinced she became that this was a trap of some kind.

Suddenly, he held up his left hand and she froze. Her ears caught the sound of that had made him halt just before it stopped. It was the pneumatic hiss of one of the sliding doors opening. Light spilled through the doorway into the corridor, broken by two dark silhouettes. Gwen’s heart leapt. The Antari had found them.

There was nowhere to hide. The corridor walls were smooth and flat, and even with the help of the Universal Key they could not get through one of the other doors quickly enough. Gwen was reluctant even to try: there could be more Antari warriors hidden behind them.

“Back,” Owen shouted as the Antari stepped out into the corridor and turned towards them. There was no surprise on their faces; the warriors had been expecting to see them. Gwen’s eyes were drawn inexorably to the sharp knives hanging from their belts, and then to the guns as they raised them, ready to fire. She forced her feet into motion.

The two warriors advanced on them slowly and started to fire. An energy burst hit the ceiling above Gwen’s head and she staggered sideways, crying out as sparks singed her hair and exposed skin. She could hear more energy pulses hitting the walls, floor and ceiling, creating a miasma of smoke and sparks all around them. Then she hear Owen’s gun as he too started shooting.

“Run!” he yelled over the sound of gunfire.

She reached out through the smoke and grabbed his left arm, pulling him along behind her. She could hear more of the doors opening now, and finally the combined sound of the Antari’s bare feet began to make a noise against the metal floor. Somehow, the softness of the sound was more terrifying than the thump of boots.

They hurtled around the corner and she skidded to a halt, her fingers jabbing at her earpiece. “Tosh, Ianto, we’re under fire,” she told them as Owen plastered himself to the wall beside the corner, took a deep breath, then leaned around it to empty the rest of his clip into the smoke in the hopes of hitting something. She closed her eyes momentarily, telling herself to stay calm. “I repeat, we are under fire. Be ready to run.”

“OK,” Toshiko replied, her voice as calm as ever and soothing in Gwen’s moment of panic. “We’ll try to cover you.”

Gwen was selfishly glad that they didn’t ask about Jack. She didn’t need to think about that – not now, when they were being shot at.

“It’s no good,” Owen panted as he shoved another clip of bullets into his gun. The Antari were firing constantly, their energy pulses hitting the wall at the end of the corridor and sending up sprays of sparks and dark smoke. “I can’t even see. We need to get out.”

“It’s not far now. We could run.”

Owen nodded. He steeled himself, then ducked around the corner one final time and emptied all the bullets from his gun, firing blindly and hoping that it would make the Antari at least pause. There was nothing but silence in return, then a fresh volley of energy pulses bombarded the wall again. Owen only just pulled back in time.

“Go!”

She started to run. As she did, she heard the hiss of the door mechanisms and realised that all along this corridor were doors – doors they hadn’t even noticed in the gloom. She yelped as hands reached out, clutching at her arm and sleeve. She wrenched away and kept running.

She could see their exit. She heard Toshiko’s voice – real, this time, not through the comms – shouting, “I can see them!”

Gwen leapt out of the Antari ship, energy blasts hitting the edges of the door and propelling her forwards. She stumbled when she hit the ground and fell to her hands and knees, but immediately strong hands grabbed her arm and hauled her upright. She knew without looking that it was Ianto dragging her along, keeping her moving.

She spared a glance over her shoulder. Owen had made it. His jacket was smouldering, set alight by the showers of sparks, but he seemed unhurt. Toshiko was bringing up the rear, running sideways with her gun trained on the opening.

An Antari appeared in the gap, gun ready. His shot sailed over their heads and hit the skip. Gwen opened her mouth to shout a warning but Toshiko had already fired; her bullet had already found its mark. The Antari fell back into the ship in a spray of blood and the door slid closed, leaving no trace of the ship. Ianto dragged her around the corner of the wall and finally let her go.

Gwen jogged to a halt and bent double, resting her hands on her knees and trying to remember how to breathe. They had failed. They had almost been killed. The Antari had beaten them.

She straightened up and looked around at the team. They were all panting heavily and Owen was batting the last embers from his shoulder, but no one was actually dead or injured. The mission wasn’t a success by any means, but no one had died. No one had been badly hurt. That had to be a positive among all the negatives.

It was difficult to see it. She would be the first to admit that.

“We should get back to the Hub,” Ianto said quietly. As Owen pulled the SUV keys from his pocket, Ianto took them from him. “I’ll drive.”

“Ianto,” Gwen began, wanting to apologise. She felt that the failed rescue attempt was her fault. He held up his hand to stop her, his disappointment palpable even though he didn’t allow it to show on his face.

“No. Don’t.”

He turned his back and went over to the car, unlocking it and climbing into the driver’s seat to wait. Gwen glanced over at Toshiko and Owen.

“He’s right, we do need to get back to the Hub,” Owen said with a shrug as he started towards the SUV. “We can regroup and try to come up with a new plan. One that’ll work.”

Gwen felt anger well inside her, but it was anger at herself more than anyone else. She hadn’t thought things through, and now they were paying the price. Jack was still a prisoner, and they had lost any chance they might have had of getting him out themselves.

Toshiko touched her arm. “No one blames you. We all thought we had a chance.”

“But we didn’t – not really,” Gwen replied softly. She shook her head. “What if we don’t get him back? What if we can’t?”

“We’ll find a way,” Toshiko said, her tone gentle but firm. “Come on.”

She took hold of Gwen’s arm and steered her towards the SUV. Gwen could feel Ianto looking at her through the window, and could imagine the blame in his eyes. She swallowed hard. Toshiko was wrong; Ianto held her responsible for the mission’s failure.


	10. Chapter 10

The tense silence that had filled the SUV during their return to the Hub hadn’t dissipated in the half hour they had been back. Gwen’s orders that they should try to collate more information had been a brief and jarring interlude, and since then no one had seen fit to raise their voice to break the quiet.

Toshiko was glad of the hum of the machines around her. Silence had been a daily companion during her confinement in the UNIT holding cell, the only noise being a rare barked order, and even now silence retained the ability to send her spiralling back into those dark memories. The comforting hum of her computers was a reminder that those days were behind her, allowing her to keep the memories at bay and retain her focus on work and on getting Jack back.

She glanced around the room as she waited for her computer to finish scanning the CCTV networks around the wasteland. Owen and Gwen were busy at their workstations, both looking equally discomfited by the silence. Their gazes occasionally darted around the room, lips parting as if they were contemplating speaking before they obviously thought better of it and turned back to their screens. Only Ianto looked as if he were unconcerned at the silence. Toshiko’s gaze lingered on the youngest member of the team. Perhaps unconcerned was the wrong word; she could see his tension in the set of his shoulders and in the way he stared unseeingly at the computer screen. Ianto’s concerns lay so deeply with Jack, she supposed, that something as trivial as silence would hardly bother him.

The silence only emphasised Jack’s absence. She could remember the futile efforts they had made to fill the void in the first weeks after he had left with the Doctor. The atmosphere in the Hub had been bleak then, but it was nothing compared to this.

The quiet beep signalling an incoming transmission sounded loud in the Hub. It drew curious gazes from the others. She knew who it was from even before she turned to look and, from the grim expressions the others bore, she wasn’t alone.

INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM AN-CA-131: HOUR 12

ACCEPT?

YES                NO

“It’s them,” she said, taking a deep, bracing breath and wondering what the repercussions of their failed rescue attempt would be. The Antari were unlikely to look upon it favourably and deep in her heart she knew that whatever happened to Jack now would be their doing.

The others gathered around her, Owen’s hand briefly curling around her shoulder to give a quick squeeze. Ianto stood stiff and unreadable at her other shoulder while Gwen stood behind, resting her hands on the back of the chair as if for support.

Toshiko allowed herself only the briefest of hesitations before accepting the transmission. Immediately the screen flickered, changing to reveal the now familiar prison. Jack hung in the centre of the room, his legs still dangling uselessly beneath him. His jaw looked as if it had healed but his face was instead covered by a fresh pattern of bruising. From the corner of her eye, Toshiko saw Ianto’s hands ball into fists as he let out an almost imperceptible growl.

Jack looked exhausted, but he managed to lift his head to give them a quick grin. He made no effort to make it convincing, the light in his eyes dim and clouded by pain. It was a futile effort at reassurance that only made Toshiko’s guilt about their failed mission settle more deeply in her heart. If they had devised a more thought-out plan, Jack would be back at the Hub by now, not chained up and used as a punching bag by some psychopathic aliens.

The image of Jack was blocked as the General came into view. The Antari wore a look of triumph and satisfaction that filled Toshiko with burgeoning dread.

“So, you have chosen to take matters into your own hands and pit yourselves against the might of the Antari.” The General’s tone was condescending, his expression mocking. Toshiko swallowed, realising that their rescue attempt had probably been doomed from the outset. The Antari had likely known what they were up to from the moment they left the Hub. “We knew you would fail in your rescue – as you will in all future attempts. Your only hope of having Harkness returned to you is in following our instructions exactly.”

“Then you don’t know Torchwood,” Gwen interrupted. “We will succeed – and not by handing over the Detonator. Torchwood will not be responsible for the destruction of a planet.”

Toshiko resisted the urge to wince as the General’s callous smile widened. Gwen’s words, though well meant, had clearly been expected – and Toshiko was left in no doubt that Jack would be punished for them.

“Perhaps after your disobedience has been punished you’ll change your mind about giving us the Shothar Detonator,” he said, stepping aside. He took a few steps closer to Jack, sliding one hand beneath Jack’s chin and tilting it up.

Jack shifted uncomfortably, pain flickering across his face, but he met the General’s gaze without fear. “Do your worst,” he sneered, his voice hoarse. “I won’t give in to your demands – and neither will they.”

“Know this, Harkness,” the General said. “Your _friends_ did this to you.”

He stepped back, retrieving Jack’s own Webley revolver from his belt. He studied it for a few seconds before glancing back towards the camera.

“How did you even consider defeating us with such primitive technology?” He turned back to Jack, lifting the gun to trace his jaw line. To his credit, Jack didn’t even flinch away. Toshiko didn’t think she would have been able to withstand such treatment. Her breath caught in her throat as the General stepped back, and lifted the gun to level it with Jack’s head.

“He won’t shoot,” Gwen muttered, barely audible. “Without Jack he can’t bargain with us. He’s just...”

Toshiko never heard the rest of it, pulled away from Gwen’s reassurances by the single gunshot. She saw Jack’s head snap backwards, blood spraying from the perfectly round bullet wound in his forehead.

“Oh my God,” Gwen murmured shakily. She took a sharp intake of breath before continuing, her voice steadier even if it still lacked some of its usual determination. “You bastards, you killed him. You can’t possibly think that we’ll do anything you ask now?”

The General laughed, confirming what Toshiko had already guessed. Beside her Ianto leant forward, resting his hands on the desk for support. “He knows,” he murmured to no one in particular. “Oh God, he knows.”

Toshiko wet her lips, trying not to consider the many possible things the Antari could do to Jack without fear of permanent damage. It was difficult; as soon as she banished one thought, three others flared up in its place.

The General’s laughter finally died down but amusement was still splashed across his face as he looked into the camera. “You really believe we did not know about Harkness’s little talent? We are more aware than you could ever imagine, and this makes us superior. Harkness’s death is inconsequential; he will return as he always does.”

“You callous bastard,” Ianto exploded. “You wait until we find you – I’ll...”

“Ianto, that’s enough!” Gwen snapped, a hint of surprise in her tone. Ianto fell silent, but the rage in his eyes didn’t fade as he glared at the General. Toshiko glanced over at him. The outburst showed how affected he was; Ianto had such a strong grip on his emotions that any deviation was cause for concern. She reached out, covering his hand with her own and giving it a quick squeeze. As much as she disliked unnecessary violence, she didn’t blame Ianto for wanting a few moments alone with the Antari General.

“You’ll what? Kill me?” The General laughed. “I’d love for you to try. Perhaps Harkness will give in to my demands when I show him your broken body, Mr. Jones.”

Toshiko hadn’t thought it possible for Ianto to get any paler. He glanced away from the screen, his distress displayed openly for a few moments before fading as he turned his attention back at the screen just in time to see Jack revive. The Captain’s gasp of air turned into a scream as the pain of his injuries returned.

The Antari smiled, then turned to face Jack. “You’ve chosen to rejoin us, Captain? Your team are still refusing my demands – it seems that they care more about a race they have never heard of than for you. And here was I thinking that your Mr. Jones loved you.”

Toshiko felt Ianto tense; she glanced round at him, catching his eye and shaking her head quickly to forestall his reply. “Don’t, Ianto.”

She gestured to the Antari’s ear where a small, metallic device flickered in the lights. It resembled some kind of communication device and Toshiko wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that it doubled as a kind of translator.

“I think,” Toshiko began, making sure to keep her voice low, “That he’s listening to us through that, which would imply that Jack can’t hear us. We shouldn’t give them anything to use against us – or Jack.”

Owen snorted. “It doesn’t look like they need any help from us.”

“That doesn’t matter, Tosh is right,” Gwen interrupted, before raising her voice to address the Antari. “We’ve told you before: we won’t give you the device. If you are willing to release Jack, we will negotiate with you to find an alternative solution.”

“And we have told you before: the Antari do not negotiate,” the General stated. “You have already witnessed our reaction to disobedience - Harkness has been punished for your refusal to adhere to our rules.”

He turned his gaze on Jack then, eyes flicking up and down the broken body. Jack was trembling slightly, eyes glazed over with pain as he clearly struggled to keep his composure.

“We will not tolerate future infractions; they will result in our immediate departure. I am sure that with our superior technology we will be able to discover the secret to Captain Harkness’s immortality. That would be most beneficial to our war effort.”

Toshiko gasped and beside her she heard Ianto let out a low growl, his hand twitching beneath hers as if it were only sheer force of will that prevented him from putting it through the monitor.

“You can’t simply expect us to accept this?” Gwen exclaimed, leaning forward over Toshiko’s shoulder. “Your terms are unreasonable and - ”

“We have told you that negotiations will not be tolerated.” The General snapped. “And due to your insistence on continuing them, I am forced to give you an ultimatum.” He crossed the room until he stood before the camera, his face filling the screen. “You will deliver the Shothar Detonator within the next thirty-six hours. If you continue to refuse then we will leave and your Captain will be lost to you. Think on that, Torchwood.”

The image flickered and died before any of them could even begin to formulate a reply. Toshiko sank back into her chair, covering her mouth with a hand. She had known that they would have to move quickly in order to save Jack further pain but none of them had considered that the Antari would be quite so ruthless.

She turned to face the rest of the team, Owen and Gwen looked as troubled as she felt, and Ianto... Ianto was ashen, his face a myriad of emotion: guilt and fury warred with concern and fear. She tore her gaze away from him, glancing at the others.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, daring to broach the question on everyone’s mind.

“I don’t know,” Gwen admitted, shaking her head “We are all in agreement that we can’t give them the detonator?”

“Yeah,” Owen muttered while Toshiko nodded. From Ianto, however, there was only silence. Toshiko glanced over, noting that his gaze was fixed on the floor and that he was refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.

“Ianto?” Gwen began. “You can’t possibly be considering...”

Ianto shook his head, flicking his eyes upwards. “I don’t know what I’m thinking, Gwen. I know we can’t just give them the detonator – and I wouldn’t suggest it. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to, if it’s the quickest way of getting Jack back.”

He looked away again, cheeks flushing slightly. Toshiko could tell that he was ashamed by his thoughts; his guilt was written across his face. She could hardly blame him. Watching Jack suffer was hurting them all, but she couldn’t imagine what it was like for Ianto.

“But Ianto...” Gwen sounded horrified and wore an expression to match. “They would destroy an entire race – so many innocents, we can’t even consider it. Not even for Jack.”

Ianto met her gaze, his expression now carefully shuttered. “I realise that, Gwen.” He swallowed, closing his eyes and taking a deep steadying breath. “I’m not suggesting that we do give in to them – and I know Jack wouldn’t want us to. That doesn’t mean that the idea isn’t slightly tempting – as it would be for you, if it were Rhys in there.”

Gwen didn’t answer immediately, and Toshiko wondered if she was trying to find words to deny Ianto’s allegation. There was nothing she could say, though; they all knew that Gwen would do anything if Rhys was the one in danger.

“That’s beside the point,” Gwen said with a hint of finality. “We cannot hand over the detonator. We have to find another way to get onto their ship and rescue Jack.”

“Because that worked so well last time,” Ianto muttered, before raising his voice and looking directly at Gwen. “We can’t defeat them with force or stealth, Gwen. We need something else – something that won’t give them the opportunity to leave with Jack.”

“Well we can’t just sit around doing nothing!” Gwen snapped back, “I thought you wanted him safe? Because I don’t see anyone else making suggestions.”

“That’s because we don’t have any!” Owen cut in. “But Ianto’s right, Gwen. We never had a chance last time. They knew we were there before we even got into the ship. The bastards have probably been watching us for weeks. Hell, they probably still are – they were expecting us.”

Toshiko nodded, turning on her chair to type in a series of commands on her computer. “They knew about Jack’s immortality, and about his and Ianto’s relationship.” She shot the Welshman a quick glance at this. “There’s no knowing how long they’ve been watching or what they know. We, on the other hand, know almost nothing about them. We’re not going to achieve anything by repeating past mistakes.”

“We need to do something that goes against their expectations of us,” Ianto put in quietly. “It’s the only way we’re ever going to succeed.”

Though unspoken, his urgency was clear in his tone. Toshiko wondered how much of this he could take. His nerves already seemed stretched to breaking point.

“But...” Gwen began, then, with a sigh, ran a hand over her face. “You’re right, Ianto. But there’s no point in us standing around arguing about it now. Things will be clearer in the morning – go home and get some sleep. That’s an order.”

Toshiko didn’t even want to argue. The failed mission and watching Jack’s torture had brought her to the brink of exhaustion. Adrenaline would take her further, she knew that from experience, but it wasn’t a fair replacement for a good night’s sleep. Gwen was right; debating a solution would only increase their frustration and one was more likely to present itself when they were all well rested. She nodded, hearing Owen add his own support too.

“I’m staying here,” Ianto said, his voice firm. He held up a hand to stave off Gwen’s opposition. “Someone needs to in case the Antari contact us again, and besides, I can catch a few hours sleep in Jack’s room.” He glanced around, the barest hint of a smile playing at his lips. “Don’t worry. I won’t give them the Detonator while you’re all in bed.”

Owen was the first to react, moving forward to clap Ianto on the shoulder. “Make sure you do sleep, then. You’re no use to anyone otherwise.”

He held Ianto’s shoulder for a fraction of a section, ensuring his message had sunk in before moving away to his work station to gather his things.

“Ianto...” Gwen drifted off when Ianto looked round at her. One eyebrow was raised in question, as if he was daring her to doubt him. It was clear that his mind was made up, and that Gwen’s protests would not dent his resolve to stay.

“OK,” she said eventually. “But only if you’re certain you’ll be fine?”

Ianto nodded. “I am. You go home, Gwen. See Rhys. I can call you in if anything comes up.”

This seemed to appease Gwen, or perhaps she just realised that there would be no debating this with Ianto. “Make sure you do,” she told him, moving off to join Owen in preparing to leave. “And remember, everyone – I don’t want you coming in – or working – before ten o’clock.”

Toshiko hesitated a moment before she spoke. “I’m not going to ask if you’re sure you’ll be OK. Just promise me you’ll phone me if you need anything.”

She stepped back, giving him a final smile, torn between wanting to reassure him and hating to offer false promises. Ianto made that decision for her. He returned the smile, albeit a little shakily.

“I will,” he promised, “But you need to get a good night’s sleep too. I’ll see you in the morning.”

With a final smile he moved away to begin his evening routine. He would tidy the Hub, and feed their guests – currently a couple of Weevils and, of course, Myfanwy – before he allowed himself to consider retiring to Jack’s room, Toshiko knew. She doubted that sleep would come easily for any of them that night, Ianto least of all, but she couldn’t imagine how he would manage to get any while surrounded by the oppressive and lonely atmosphere of the Hub. She tore her gaze from Ianto’s retreating back, pulling on her jacket and gathering her handbag and laptop, feeling a little guilty for even wondering how he would cope. Ianto was no doubt used to the Hub, spending more time there than the rest of them. He would be perfectly aware of how it felt to be alone there, and used to the situation by now.

On her way out, Toshiko paused at the cog door to look back at Ianto. He moved around the Hub, slowly picking up mugs from their desks. His pain was evident even at that distance. She swallowed, resisting the urge to return and offer him comfort that he wouldn’t want. She hoped that they found a solution early tomorrow because she didn’t know how much more fear and guilt Ianto could take.


	11. Chapter 11

The light flicked on. Jack saw it through his eyelids; he had long since given up on trying to see through the inky blackness of his prison. He gave his pupils a moment to adjust before he opened his eyes. The Antari General was standing a short way away, holding the Webley and looking at Jack almost curiously. There was no sign of the recording device he used to communicate with the Hub.

“How are we feeling, Captain?”

If Jack didn’t know better, he might have thought that the alien actually cared about his wellbeing. The pain in his knees was finally starting to fade. Soon, he might be able to put weight on his legs again – unless the Antari decided to injure him further – but for the time being he had to simply hang from the ceiling. Everything was painful, but not as bad as it had been earlier; he could partly block these pains out.

“Oh, you know,” he said lightly. He would have shrugged, but it was impossible with his arms stretched up over his head. “Mustn’t grumble.”

“No,” the Antari said with a small chuckle. “I suppose you mustn’t.” He came a little closer, turning Jack’s gun over in his hands. “Your weapons are so primitive. You still use bullets.”

“It does the job,” Jack replied coldly, all traces of his earlier joviality gone. The Antari outranked them in technology and weaponry, that much was clear. It wasn’t unusual, since most alien threats had better guns and better equipment, but Jack had a particularly bad feeling about the Antari. That the General felt their weapons worthy only of mockery disturbed him.

The General’s eyes hardened. He lifted his free hand to the back of Jack’s head, tangling his fingers in the blood-matted hair and pulling until Jack hissed in pain. He withdrew his hand and held it up before Jack’s face to show him the blood staining his pale green fingers.

“Yes. It does the job,” he said. Jack frowned; was he mistaken, or was that bitterness in the General’s voice? “It is a messy and inelegant weapon, but I cannot disagree with you. It kills efficiently enough, when fired with accuracy.”

The General pressed the barrel of the gun to Jack’s forehead hard enough to hurt. Jack’s breathing rate picked up subconsciously, a flutter of panic rising in his chest. He had no desire to be shot at point-blank range yet again. He swallowed hard. “There’s no point shooting me – Torchwood isn’t watching.”

“Do you know the mess it makes when a bullet goes in here, Captain Harkness?” the Antari hissed, leaning in close.

“Hey, it’s not my fault for making a mess if you shoot me!” Jack protested, but realised from the General’s scowl that the question was supposed to be rhetorical. The General took the gun from his head, flipped it over so that he held the barrel and smacked Jack across the face with the grip.

“You should learn a little humility, Captain. To use one of your human expressions, the world does not revolve around you,” the General spat, distain curling his lip. “I lost one of my men today: a good soldier. One of your team –” He pronounced the word as if it left a foul taste in his mouth, “– painted an external access corridor with his brains this afternoon. I care for the warriors I brought with me as you care for your team.” He leaned in close until his face filled Jack’s vision. “I think a bullet through your head was a small price for Torchwood to pay. Had you given us the Shothar Detonator as I requested, Harkness, I would not be composing a message for his family informing them that their son was murdered on an alien planet by the kind of weaponry we stopped using centuries ago.”

“You can’t make me feel guilty for the death of one of your men when I know that complying with your wishes would kill an entire race,” Jack told him bluntly. “To use another human expression – the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one.”

The General tucked the Webley back into his belt and stepped back, clasping his hands behind him. For a long moment, he surveyed Jack impassively before tipping his head on one side. His face cracked into a small but sinister smile. “I wonder if the needs of the many would outweigh the needs of Mister Jones, if I were to bring him here.”

Jack’s blood ran cold. He tried valiantly to keep his distress from showing on his face, but it was so difficult when he knew full well that the Antari would find it easy to abduct Ianto. From the extent of their knowledge, they seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere. They would be able to catch him alone and unawares.

The General’s smile became a smirk. “Tell me, Captain Harkness – does he bounce back as quickly as you?” The alien’s expression told Jack that his fear was visible, and he hated himself for showing such weakness. “I thought not. But it is such a shame, that your Ianto Jones does not care for you.”

The General’s expression changed again, this time into one of pity. Jack fought to keep his face straight. The Antari would know about their argument from their surveillance; they were simply playing on that. It meant nothing.

“Poor Jack,” the Antari murmured, reaching out to stroke the line of Jack’s jaw with one finger. “You know, in all my dealings with your team, he has always been the first to tell me that they will not give us the Detonator. Even when I threatened to take you with us he stood firm. I was sure that would break them, but no. He told me that we could take you; that he would be glad to be rid of you.”

“You’re lying.”

The General acted as though Jack had not spoken. “Of course, that caused a little dissent in the ranks. In particular your second in command, Miss Cooper … she didn’t like that he told us to take you. Of course, what with her little infatuation with you, we shouldn’t be surprised by that, should we, Captain?”

He spoke affably, as if they were old friends rather than prisoner and captor, discussing a trip to the supermarket instead of the torture Jack had most recently suffered. The Antari sighed suddenly, moving a little way away from Jack and beginning to pace up and down in front of him, his bare feet silent on the metal floor.

“I wonder which of them will give me the Detonator.”

“They won’t give it to you.”

“Will it be sweet little Toshiko? She likes to please everyone – perhaps she will decide to please me, hmm?” the General continued, turning to Jack as if awaiting an answer and then starting to talk before he had time to deny his words. “Or maybe Owen will give in. He’s a medical man, he must know how much pain you’ve suffered already, and how much more pain we can – and will – inflict upon you. Then again, there’s dear Gwen. Her heart will break if we hurt you much more. And then I imagine she will give it to us, to stop you from hurting. After all, it’s only another planet – not the Earth, not a place she has heard of …”

“And Ianto?” Jack asked bitterly. He had had just about enough of the taunting, now. The General was playing mind games, and he wanted them over as quickly as possible. “What about him?”

“Oh, I don’t think Ianto will hand over the Detonator. Perhaps if he were ordered to do so by one of the others, but not of his own accord,” the General said dismissively as he started towards the door. He looked over his shoulder in the doorway. “I believe that he hates you, Captain Harkness.”

The door slid closed and Jack was plunged once more into darkness. He knew that he ought to dismiss what the General had said as lies, but his argument with Ianto – the most serious of their personal relationship so far – had left him shaken. One of the things he felt certain about had been taken away, and now the General was trying to undermine him further. He was loath to admit that the tactic was working, but he could not deny the creeping doubt that was starting to settle in his mind.

What if Ianto wasn’t refusing them the Shothar Detonator because his moral compass directed him to do so? What if Ianto did want Jack gone? Hanging alone in the darkness, deprived of all stimuli except the pain of his healing legs and his wounded wrists, Jack couldn’t help but wonder if there was any truth to the General’s words.

 

It was 09:54 when Owen stepped through the cog door into the Hub: uncharacteristically early, especially when he had been given an excuse to have a long lie-in, but with Jack trapped on an alien ship and the threat of the Captain’s permanent abduction hanging over Torchwood, he couldn’t relish the luxury. The Hub itself was quiet and there was no sign of his colleagues. He glanced around, frowning; there was no way he was the first to arrive. Movement in Jack’s office caught his eye. Through a thin gap in the blinds, he could see a figure sitting at the desk. For a second, he allowed himself to hope that it was Jack. Then he realised that, although the figure was dark haired and wearing a dark blue shirt, it was not the Captain. It was Ianto. He strode over quickly and pulled the door open to reveal the rest of the team, Ianto seated at the desk and the girls standing on either side of him.

Gwen looked up. “About time,” she said. It was obvious that she was relieved to see him and, after a quick glance at Ianto, Owen could see why. It was obvious that he had barely slept and his eyes were bloodshot. His tightly clasped hands were shaking. “Ianto didn’t want to tell us anything until you arrived.”

Owen could guess what had happened, and from the grim looks on the girls’ faces, so could they. They had received another transmission, and the results couldn’t have been good. He walked over to the chair opposite Ianto and sat down.

“OK. I’m here,” he said as he settled into the chair, trying to make himself comfortable in spite of the worry gnawing at him. He knew that Jack’s body was damn near impossible to destroy and that his pain threshold was high, but his dreams had been plagued with images of all the things the Antari could potentially do now that they knew Jack could not die. He swallowed hard. Ianto had watched one of those things by himself. He suddenly couldn’t blame him for looking so ashen. “What happened?”

“The Antari sent us another video feed. I’ve saved it with the others, but I wouldn’t advise you to watch it,” Ianto murmured in a flat voice. “The General asked for the Shothar Detonator again, and I refused like I said I would. Then he called in a couple of his men and they took Jack down from the ceiling. He was helpless – I don’t think his legs had finished healing and his arms were cramped … there was no way he could defend himself.”

Ianto’s narrative faltered and he stopped, screwing his eyes tightly shut and trying to slow and deepen his breathing. Toshiko placed her hand on top of his and squeezed while Gwen put an arm around his shoulders. Owen sat motionless, his mind automatically supplying diagnoses and treatments for Jack’s legs and arms and wishing that he could administer painkillers.

“They beat him,” Ianto said finally as he opened his eyes again. He lifted his chin defiantly. “They drew it out, made it painful. I heard his ribs break, and he was bleeding – I think one of them hit him in the throat so he couldn’t breathe –” Ianto broke off, his eyes glazing over as if he were once again seeing the beating in his mind’s eye. Owen shuddered at his haunted expression. “When they were done, he wasn’t moving. He wasn’t breathing.”

“Jesus,” Owen breathed. He looked across at Gwen and saw that she too was shocked. Working in a hospital for as long as he had, Owen had seen patients who had been severely beaten but he had never seen anyone die from their injuries. He could guess that Gwen too had seen people who had been badly assaulted during her time with the police, but she too looked shocked.

“They beat him to death, and I had to tell them I wouldn’t give them the Detonator,” Ianto said, bitterness starting to creep into his voice now. “The General kept saying that if I gave it to them, they would stop hurting him. I begged him to stop but he wouldn’t – not without the Detonator. And then when Jack was dead, he laughed at me.”

“Ianto,” Gwen began, but the young man pulled away from her and stood up.

“If we just gave them the Detonator, all of this would be over!” he said, his voice rising towards a shout. “Jack would be safe –”

“And we would be responsible for genocide!” Gwen yelled. “How do you think he would feel about that?”

“At least he wouldn’t think that we don’t care,” Ianto said coldly as he turned away and tried to push past Toshiko. She grabbed his arm, holding him back.

“Is that what the General told him?” she asked. Her voice was gentle: a harsh contrast to the shouting a moment ago. “We’ve already worked out that Jack can’t hear us. Was the General telling him that we don’t care and that’s why we won’t give him what he wants?”

Ianto shook his head, eyes sliding closed again. “He told Jack it was just me. While they were – hurting him, he said that it was unlucky the rest of you were gone, because if you could see what was happening … you might give in. But not me.” He pulled his arm away from Toshiko and rubbed his face with both hands. In a very small voice, he added, “I think Jack believed him.”

Owen realised that both Gwen and Toshiko were looking imploringly at him. Toshiko obviously had no idea what to say, and Ianto was unlikely to accept comfort from Gwen when a moment ago she had been yelling at him. He hastily levered himself out of the chair and went over to Ianto, awkwardly patting him on the back.

“Come on, Ianto – Jack wouldn’t want us to give them the Detonator. He’s probably proud of you.”

“You didn’t see his face,” Ianto said softly, shrugging off the hand Owen had laid on his shoulder. “He didn’t look proud. And after what I said to him … I wouldn’t be surprised if he believed them.”

“Why don’t you tell us what happened?” Toshiko suggested, gesturing towards Jack’s chair again. After a moment’s hesitation, Ianto sat down and rested his elbows on the desk. Gwen moved away and sat down in the chair Owen had vacated, while he leaned against the back wall of the office. He wasn’t sure he could meet Ianto’s gaze while he spilled the secrets of his relationship with Jack. By standing behind him, he wouldn’t have to.

Ianto took a deep breath then plunged into his explanation. “The day before yesterday, Jack came back to mine after work. He decided to take a shower and while he was in the bathroom, his phone rang. I answered it, thinking it might be important, and it was some woman. Before I had a chance to say anything, she said, ‘I’m naked, Captain Harkness, and I want you inside me.’”

“Graphic,” Owen muttered, slightly disgusted. Jack might flirt shamelessly, but at least he normally kept his propositions discreet and shrouded in innuendo. Ianto glanced over his shoulder at him and nodded.

“I thought at first that it was nothing … maybe a UNIT officer with a thing for Jack or something – you know how he flirts with them to get his own way, and if she was with UNIT that would explain how she’d got Jack’s number. But I asked her how she’d got it and she said that Jack had given it to her. In a club on Tuesday.”

“Didn’t Jack say he was going to interview someone on Tuesday night?” Toshiko interrupted with a frown. Ianto nodded again.

“Exactly. Look, maybe I jumped to conclusions, but it’s like I said – he’s always flirting with someone, and lately it’s been bothering me. The fact that he lied about interviewing someone for Torchwood so that he could go and hand out his number to women in bars was the last straw.” Ianto stopped to take a deep, steadying breath. “I told him it was over between us. That I would almost rather quit Torchwood and retcon myself than see him again.”

“But you said that when you were angry and hurt – Jack would have realised that,” Gwen said, smiling reassuringly at Ianto.

“I meant it,” Ianto said in a very soft voice and Owen felt his insides lurch. Ianto loved his job. That he was upset enough to want to leave seemed incredible. After a long silence, Ianto continued, “I don’t think I ever meant to go through with it, but … in the heat of the moment, I meant it. I never wanted to see him again. I was just so tired of being disappointed in him …”

Owen pushed himself off the wall and squeezed Ianto’s shoulder. “But you came into work the next day.”

Ianto twisted around to look up at him. “Yes. And I treated Jack like shit and refused to go on a mission. I think I made it quite clear that I was still pissed off with him.”

“Sounds like you still are,” Gwen murmured. Owen could see that she didn’t mean it as a jibe, but Ianto’s emotions were running high and he saw the flash of anger cross his face before he turned to glare at Gwen.

“Of course I am! He’s been giving his number to drunk sluts in bars – how would you feel if Rhys did the same thing?” Owen squeezed his shoulder again, trying to will Ianto to calm down, but his hand was shoved away as Ianto rose abruptly. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want him back here and safe, because no matter what I said that night, I do care about him – why else would I be so bloody upset?”

“OK, Ianto,” Gwen said soothingly, holding up both hands in surrender and leaning back in her chair. “No need to get hysterical.”

“I am not –”

“Ianto!” Owen interrupted, effectively silencing both Gwen and Ianto. He spun Ianto around until he was facing him and then placed both hands on his shoulders. “Listen, mate. You’ve not had much sleep, and you’re almost certainly in shock from watching that last transmission. You need to calm down and rest.”

“Owen’s right,” Toshiko said softly. She looked a little stunned by everything they had just heard. “Why don’t you go for a lie down in the medical room? We’ll come and get you as soon as there are any developments.”

Slowly, Ianto nodded and Owen stepped back to let him pass, then followed him to the door. On the way, he paused beside Gwen and leaned over to murmur to her, “I’m going to give him a sedative, knock him out for a few hours. It’s not perfect, but it’ll let him rest without having nightmares.”

“Good,” Gwen said. “Conference room as soon as he’s out?”

Owen grunted in agreement and hurried to catch up with Ianto before he became suspicious. In the medical room, he smiled as the younger man glanced back at him and gestured towards the two crisply made beds.

“Take your pick. Neither of them are very comfortable, but they’ll do,” he said, walking over to a cupboard full of sedatives and selecting one.

“What’s that?”

“It’ll help you sleep,” Owen told him. It wasn’t a lie, but he still felt a little guilty. He was pretty sure that Ianto would protest if he knew just how long this sedative would last. He filled a syringe with the clear liquid and walked over to the bedside. Ianto had rolled up one sleeve to the elbow, giving Owen a clear shot into a vein. Once the sedative was administered, Ianto tried to roll his sleeve down, but the medicine – harmless but distilled from the venom of an alien snake, or so Jack told him – was too fast-acting to let him finish. His eyelids drooped and after a few seconds his arms dropped to the bed. Owen finished rolling the sleeve down for him and fastened the cuff before disposing of the needle, putting away the syringe and vial of sedative, and heading back to the conference room.

Toshiko and Gwen were sitting in silence waiting for him. “Out like a light,” he announced as he took his usual seat. “He should sleep for the next six hours or so.”

Gwen nodded, but the silence stretched still further. After a long few seconds, Toshiko cleared her throat. “I thought perhaps we should watch the video feed for ourselves?”

“Play it,” Gwen said, visibly steeling herself for what was to come. Owen took a deep breath himself; although he knew that they must, he wasn’t sure he personally wanted to see this. Toshiko activated the main screen and pressed play.

The smiling face of the Antari General appeared on the monitor. Owen steeled himself. What they were about to see was not going to be pleasant in any way. He could see Toshiko’s hand resting on the table. He reached across and laid his down next to it, ready to move it over hers for reassurance if the torture of their Captain became too much. Whose reassurance, he wasn’t entirely certain.


	12. Chapter 12

When Jack revived he wasn’t surprised to find himself alone in the darkness once again. He had been returned to his previous position: his arms – one still broken from the intense beating he had received – pulled tight above his head while the cuffs cut into his wrists. He shifted in them, testing for any new weakness, moaning as the movement only served to increase his pain.

He stilled immediately. He hadn’t been able to break free at full strength, so there was no point in even trying now with – he paused to take stock of his injuries - a broken arm, broken fingers, at least three broken ribs and several more that were likely cracked, and countless cuts and bruises. The worst of it had already healed to a dull ache, but in places the pain was still acute and relentless. His face had taken the worst of it, the swelling impairing his vision – he smiled faintly, wondering if Ianto would still fancy him looking like... oh. The smile slid from his face, and he closed his eyes with a soft sigh remembering the General’s words.

Had they not argued, Jack would have found the suggestion that Ianto didn’t care to be a ludicrous one. But when Ianto had said as much himself, even in anger, Jack found it impossible to dismiss it. What if Ianto really did hate him enough to wish he was gone? What if he was enjoying watching him suffer? Jack swallowed, reminding himself that it was just another of the General’s sick mind games and not the truth. The General had, after all, every reason to lie and Jack hadn’t seen Ianto’s reaction himself.

Ianto had always been the chief source of comfort in Jack’s darkest moments so it was hard now to force him from his thoughts. He had been so proud the first time Ianto had refused to hand over the Detonator, knowing that he was the only one of the team who knew what it was, but now he doubted Ianto’s motives: could it be that he had wanted to refuse? He pushed the General’s accusations aside, trying to convince himself that Ianto was doing everything he could to find Jack. As much as the General’s words corresponded to what Ianto had spat at him in the heat of the moment, Jack still couldn’t believe that Ianto would punish him in this way. He forced himself to ignore the doubt that clawed at his heart and reminded him that he had never understood why Ianto would stand by him.

He took a deep steadying breath. He had to believe that Ianto did care about him if he were to stand any chance of escape. The alternative wasn’t worth dwelling on and Jack knew he couldn’t deal with the possibility that what the General said was true.

His thoughts were cut short by a blinding light filling the room. Jack squeezed his eyes shut immediately, tilting his head away and letting them adjust. He barely suppressed the whimper that escaped his lips as the movement jarred his body.

“Does it hurt, Captain Harkness?” The voice of the General came from behind his shoulder, the Antari’s breath caressing his ear. “That doesn’t surprise me: Antari Warriors learn violence in the playground. By the time they are trained, they know at least three hundred ways to hurt a person.” He reached out, tracing the edges of a healing wound. “We’ve left such pretty bruises on you, Harkness. Such a shame you won’t have anyone to kiss them all better if you do return.”

Without warning he dug his fingers into the wound, splitting the skin so that blood oozed out. Jack gasped, unable to stop the small moan from escaping his lips.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” the General said, as if he was discussing something of no more importance than the weather. “Now you understand how I hurt every time one of my soldiers is slaughtered by the Egorth. But the pain can end for the both of us, if only you give us the Shothar Detonator.”

“How many more of your soldiers are dying while you’re trying to torture me into giving you the Detonator?” Jack ground out. “You’re wasting your time. I’m not going to give in – and neither will my team.”

The General dug his fingers deeper into the wound, “Ianto certainly won’t,” he said. “You’re not that important to him. He’s enjoying this as much as I am.”

Jack clenched his jaw, unwilling to rise to the bait, unwilling to believe that Ianto would enjoy seeing him in pain when he had always acted to the contrary. He stared ahead, unblinking, determined not to reveal any sign of his inner turmoil.

“He’s finally getting what he desires, after all.” The General chuckled, “‘One day I’ll get the chance to save you, and I’ll just watch you suffer’.”

Jack blanched at those words, at the memories they stirred up. He had believed that he and Ianto had come a long way since the Cyberwoman incident, but it was true that Ianto had fooled him before. Could he have done so again, just waiting for a chance to make his threat reality?

“He didn’t react, Jack. Not even a little, not even when you screamed.” The General’s voice was soft, a mockery of comfort. “Why do you give him your trust, your love, when he has none to give you in return?”

“You’re lying.” Jack ground out. “Ianto isn’t like that. He cares – and I would stake anything on him looking for me right now.” The words sounded false to his ears. He didn’t quite believe them himself. He closed his eyes, adding, “Your mind games aren’t working, General. Give up and let me go. And for the record.” He turned his head to meet the General’s eyes. “Only my friends get to call me Jack.”

The General chuckled, “I thought we were getting somewhere, Captain Harkness. Surely you can trust me more that those friends of yours that leave you here to suffer – and especially more than your so called lover. Perhaps we should bring him here, let him experience what his revenge and treachery are costing you.”

“Don’t you dare go anywhere near him” Jack snapped, jerking forward in his chains. “I’ll kill you if you touch him.” He jerked the chains again, the pain insignificant in comparison to his sudden fear and anger.

“Dare I ask how, when you’re chained up and unable to get to me?” The Antari began to circle Jack. “I could have him brought here, thrown at your feet and tortured until you both beg for mercy.” He shook his head. “He doesn’t love you, Harkness. Why do you care so much?”

Jack remained stubbornly silent, determined not to supply the Antari with any further ammunition against him, nor any more desire to find Ianto and cause him harm. No matter what the General said about Ianto, how much he insisted that Ianto didn’t care, Jack’s own feelings would not lessen.

“Your silence speaks louder than you might imagine,” the General taunted, his fingers digging deeper into the bruise they caressed. “You love him, and that love for him is so strong that you would hand over the Detonator in a heartbeat rather than let any harm come to him. I am beginning to believe we selected the wrong person to kidnap.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed as he regarded the general. “Then you don’t know me as well as you think,” he spat. “I would have killed every one of you by now if you had hurt him - no one gets to do that and walk away.”

The General chuckled and began to circle Jack slowly. “All these threats are a little meaningless, Captain, when you’re strung up like this.” He smirked, pausing in front of him. “And rather meaningless when you are, in fact, the one who has hurt him so.” He turned, striding back across the room. “I don’t know how you can be surprised that he hates you. We all heard what he said the other night.”

The door slammed shut with a resounding clang, plunging the room into darkness. Jack shuddered in his chains, closing his eyes and trying to dismiss the General’s words as lies, but it was difficult. The notion that the Antari had access to Ianto’s flat - that they had cameras there, or had even been inside it - terrified him more than any torture the General could visit upon him.

 

“Have there been any developments?” Ianto’s quiet voice startled Toshiko from her work. She glanced around to where Ianto stood, having emerged from the medical room, and smiled. He looked much better for the rest, although his face was still pale and a stark contrast to the dark rims beneath his eyes.

“Ianto, how are you feeling now?” Owen cut in before she could speak. She was grateful for that – he had saved her the task of informing Ianto of what had transpired in his absence - something that she didn’t even wish to remember, let alone explain.

“I’m fine” Ianto said, sending Owen an irritated glance as he crossed the Hub toward them. “Well, as fine as can be expected – but right now, I’m more concerned about Jack’s welfare. So, tell me, what have I missed?”

“We haven’t heard anything from the Antari,” Gwen said, a little too quickly. “But I think we’ve come up with a feasible plan.”

Toshiko glanced from her to Ianto, watching the battle of wills unfolding between them. She knew Gwen was only trying to protect Ianto, lessen the worry and guilt he was heaping on himself, but it wasn’t an act Ianto would appreciate. And by the expression the Welshman now wore, she knew she was right.

“I’m not an idiot, Gwen, and I don’t need coddling,” he said, his tone clipped and strained. “I know how long I’ve been out and if the Antari are still sending transmissions every six hours then I’ve missed one.” He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Look, I’ve no real desire to see Jack hurt, or to listen to any more taunts from the bastards who are responsible, but I want to be able to help Jack recover when we get him back – if he wants anything to do with me, that is – so I’ll need to know all the facts.”

“Fine,” Gwen sighed, getting to her feet. “But don’t ask to see it – I don’t want to watch that again – none of us do - and I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to watch it alone.”

“Just tell me, then. What did they do to him?”

Ianto’s expression was blank, but Toshiko could tell from his stance just how tense he was. He was a tightly coiled spring, ready to snap at any moment, and Toshiko wasn’t sure she wanted to be present when he did.

Gwen looked equally nervous. She took a step towards Ianto before stopping short; she apparently thought better of getting too close. “Ok, but don’t say you weren’t warned. Jack was...” She broke off, dropping her gaze. “They...”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned away, blinking back tears.

“Oh bloody hell,” Owen muttered. “Jack was exsanguinated, okay. Those bastards bled him dry – they made lots of cuts then doused him with salt water and something else to stop the wounds from closing.”

“Shut up, Owen.” Toshiko snapped, cutting him off. Ianto had gone pale and was swaying slightly, his hands balled into fists, knuckles white, fingernails digging into the flesh of his palms. They needed to calm him down. She got to her feet, taking a cautious step towards him.

“Ianto...” she began, voice faltering as Ianto glanced at her, his expression resolute. His gaze moved across the room, lingering on each of them in turn.

“I can’t take much more of this,” Ianto shook his head, “And neither can Jack. Right now, all I care about is getting him back. Then I can make sure he’s alright and perhaps heal some of the damage I’ve caused. I want to give them the device – I know it’s wrong, but I don’t care about some alien race we know nothing about. I do care about Jack. If you won’t stand with me then I’ll act alone. Better that way so it’s only my hands stained with blood.”

“It needn’t come to that, Ianto.” Toshiko said, stopping beside him and laying a hand on his arm. She glanced to the others, taking in Gwen’s encouraging smile and Owen’s minute nod. “We think we’ve got a plan.”

A faint hope flickered in Ianto’s eyes, and he turned to face her. “Tell me.”

Toshiko gestured to her computer screen where a series of plans were open on the desktop. “I’ve been studying the plans for the Detonator.” She explained. “I think I’ve worked out a way to use it to our advantage. If we place a timer within the device, we can rig the Detonator to explode while the Antari are in transit – in between leaving the Earth’s atmosphere and landing on their home planet.”

“We’d be killing three birds with one stone,” Owen elaborated. He grinned, “We get rid of the Detonator, and the Antari – while showing the rest of them they can’t mess with us. They won’t be back any time soon.”

Ianto was silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the computer screen. Eventually, he nodded, and let out a deep breath. “I like it – it’s less than they deserve, but it’s the best we’ve got.”

“Of course,” Toshiko began a little tentatively, “It might take some time. I have to be certain I know exactly how the device corresponds to the plan before I can begin to rewire it.”

Ianto’s brow crinkled and he turned to face her. “How long?”

Toshiko glanced away, unable to hold Ianto’s gaze – not when she knew exactly how Ianto was likely to take the news. “At first estimates...” she inhaled sharply, “Around fifteen hours.”

She glanced to Ianto, watching as his expression changed from surprise to disbelief before settling on anger. “That’s not good enough!” he snapped. “We need to get Jack out of there sooner than that – who knows what they could do to him in that time?”

Toshiko stepped back, away from Ianto’s onslaught. As she struggled to find words to respond with, to comfort and reassure Ianto, she felt someone step up behind her and place a hand on her arm. It was Owen, she knew that immediately – some sixth sense was intuitively trained in on the doctor’s movements – and felt her stomach flip at his proximity.

“I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not prepared to sit around and waste time while Jack is tortured. If it was one of us he would be doing something – he’d be doing his best to get to us as soon as possible!” Ianto continued, his frustration becoming even more evident. Even Myfanwy was attuned to his distress – she circled above, letting out fierce squawks and occasionally dropping lower.

“Hey!” Owen snapped, cutting off Ianto’s tirade. “She’s doing her best, ok. You can’t ask for any more than that.” He released Toshiko and took a step towards Ianto. “I get that you’re tired – I get that you’re worried about Jack and that your guilt is eating away at you - but that doesn’t give you the right to take it out on us.”

Ianto took a step closer to Owen. “Don’t you dare tell me how I’m feeling. You have no idea...”

“No, I don’t.” Owen returned, shoving Ianto backwards. “And I don’t really care – not when you’re taking it all out on Toshiko. She’s your friend, and she’s doing all she can to help get Jack back. She’s doing her fucking best – and at the moment that’s all we’ve got, so you can like it and treat her with a little more respect.”

Toshiko glanced upwards at Myfanwy who was beginning to circle a little lower. She bit her lip, wondering if the pteradon would actually attack Owen if she saw him as a threat towards Ianto.

“Okay, that’s enough!” Gwen snapped, moving forward and stepping between the two men. “The pair of you, back off. We’re not going to get anywhere by fighting.” She turned to Ianto, placing her hand on his arm and rubbing it. She continued, “I know you’re upset, Ianto, but we are going to get Jack back. I promise we will, but first you need to calm down. If we want this plan to succeed then we need to take our time – make sure we know what we’re dealing with. We cannot risk detonating the device while it’s still on Earth.”

Ianto looked as if he would argue at first, but then he looked away, sagging slightly. “You’re right – I’m sorry.” He glanced over at Toshiko. “I suppose you want me to retrieve the Detonator from the archives?”

Toshiko nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

Of course, Ianto was the only one able to access the device, so his co-operation was necessary. She smiled a little, hoping that he would understand that she didn’t blame him for his outburst. Ianto nodded, returning the smile, albeit weakly.

“Then I’ll go and find it – along with anything else that might be useful.” He held her gaze a little longer, before turning and hurrying away to the archives.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From here on the torture starts to get a whole lot worse. Be warned that what follows is unpleasant and will only get worse from here on in.

The Detonator seemed so small for an item with the potential to destroy an entire planet. It was a smooth metal sphere composed of small square plates, and was roughly the size of a football. The button which would commence detonation was hidden securely beneath a transparent panel on what they presumed was the front; on the opposite side of the sphere two of the plates opened to reveal the inner workings of the device. 

Toshiko had placed the Detonator in a set of clamps and for the past few hours had done little but peer at the insides, occasionally using the tip of a screwdriver to shift aside wires that blocked her view. Ianto had resisted the urge to hover nervously behind her, keeping to the archives as much as possible, but the more time that passed – the closer it got to the next six hour mark – the more difficult it became to stay away. He had to force himself not to ask her every few minutes whether she was any closer to understanding the exploded diagram on her computer screen and how it related to the physical device in front of them.

He lurked by the coffee machine as the last five minutes crawled by, checking his watch almost constantly until Owen snapped, “For God’s sake, why not just watch the hands going around! If you’ve nothing better to do, make us some coffee.”

Ianto tried to focus his attention on making drinks, but his mind was elsewhere. His every thought was with Jack and what horrors he might be about to face. He glanced over his shoulder towards Toshiko but she didn’t look any nearer to a breakthrough than she had a moment ago. He sighed and turned back to the counter. Jack’s mug still stood there, untouched, and Ianto’s eyes lingered on it as he reached for the others.

He placed them in a row but then couldn’t resist checking the time again. His heart jolted. It was a minute past the hour: a minute past the usual transmission time.

“Er,” he said. He didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing, but the past five times they had been contacted suggested that the Antari were nothing if not punctual. He licked his lips. “I don’t want to worry anyone, but ... we haven’t heard from them yet.”

The clock in the top corner of Owen’s desktop read two minutes past. Gwen glanced at her own watch, then at the list of transmissions on her screen, then over at Ianto. He was pleased to see that he wasn’t the only one troubled by this new development.

“It’s only a couple of minutes,” Owen said with a wave of his hand. “For all we know Jack’s escaped and is giving them the run around.”

Ianto nodded; Owen could be right, though it was a long shot. He turned back to the coffees and tried not to think about it. More likely was the idea that the aliens were waiting for Jack to revive after their latest torture. He swallowed, trying not to think too hard about what they might have done – or might be doing. 

He filled the mugs with coffee before focussing his attention on adding the right amounts of sugar and cream to each one. He was almost capable of preparing the team’s drinks blindfolded, but consciously remembering that Owen took his coffee black with one sugar while Gwen preferred hers white with three was a welcome distraction. He stirred the drinks in turn before grabbing a tray and carefully placing them onto it.

He lifted the tray and turned just as Gwen said. “We have a transmission.”

For a second, Ianto saw the familiar text, the ship’s serial number and the number of hours Jack had been a prisoner. Then Gwen accepted and Jack appeared on the screen. He hung limp in his chains, still conscious but visibly exhausted and hurting. He raised his head to glance into the camera, but his attempt at a reassuring smile didn’t reach his eyes.

The camera panned out to reveal the General standing beside him, a length of thick cable in his hand. The end was dripping sparks onto the metal floor. Without a word of greeting, he extended his arm to the side and let the sparking wires at the end of the cable touch Jack’s thigh.

Jack’s body spasmed and he let out a strangled scream as the electrical current contracted his muscles against his will. The shock of it made Ianto jump and the tray he was carrying crashed to the floor, splashing hot coffee over his shoes and across the concrete, but Ianto was transfixed by the screen. Jack was jerking like a marionette in the hands of an over-zealous child, his face contorted. The General took the cable away almost immediately, but Ianto could see that the pain remained even after the current had earthed itself.

He was vaguely aware of Gwen looking between him and Jack, her eyes impossibly wide with shock and concern, and of Owen swearing under his breath, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the General. He was smiling.

“Good evening, Torchwood. Have you had a pleasant day?” 

“Oh, yeah, great thanks,” Owen growled, sarcasm dripping from every word. The General’s smile only broadened.

“Did you hear that, Captain?” he asked, his voice bright and cheerful. “Your team has been having a lovely time without you.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it, you bastard!” Owen shouted, but Gwen held up her hand, giving him a warning look to make him back down.

“What do you want?” she asked. She sounded calm, but Ianto could see the tight grip she had on the arms of her chair. She was as rattled as he was by the still-present threat of the cable, and its effect on Jack.

The General chuckled, shaking his head, “I believe you know what we want. We have shown you a glimpse of what we can do. Will you allow the Captain to suffer more or will you give us the Detonator?”

Gwen shook her head, “We can’t. You may as well give this up now – because you’re not leaving with the Detonator.”

She glanced around at the others, meeting their gaze in turn, silently asking for their support. Ianto stepped up behind her, resting his hands on the back of the chair, unable to look away from Jack’s trembling form.

“As you wish,” the General said. He extended his arm once more, brushing the cable against Jack’s leg, trailing it down his calf while Jack jerked and screamed. 

“Stop it, just leave him alone!” Ianto cried. He swallowed the lump in his throat, turning his gaze away to blink back tears that threatened to spill. He would not allow himself to show weakness before the General. He straightened up, glaring at the screen. “We cannot give you the device, we know – _I_ know – that Jack wouldn’t want that.”

“I think we all know what Captain Harkness wants right now,” the General replied, turning his attention to Jack and finally pulling his arm back. “I think what he wants is for his team to make the pain stop. I would stop, you know, Jack – if only they would ask me to.” He looked back into the camera. “Will you give me the Detonator?”

“We can’t,” Owen snapped. “How many times?”

Again, the General let the exposed wires make contact with Jack’s skin, and again Jack’s body seized and twitched as the electricity surged to earth itself. The General made a crooning, sympathetic noise. “I don’t think the poor Captain can take much more of this.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Ianto saw Toshiko turn her head for the first time. When he had brought the Shothar Detonator up from the archives, they had decided that Toshiko should stay focused on her task regardless of what else was going on. That meant that she had been studying the Detonator and its plans throughout this transmission – how, he had no idea. In her position, he wouldn’t have been able to stay away. She could still hear the audio, after all, and it gave a tantalising if gruesome glimpse of what was going on in the Antari ship.

He looked over at her and tried to smile, though it was the last thing he felt like doing. She needed to focus on getting the Detonator ready to be handed over. She didn’t need to be distracted. He didn’t want her to be distracted.

“You should see them, Jack.” The General spoke again. Ianto whipped his head around, eyes narrowing at the sight that met them. The General was standing before Jack, dangling the cable loosely in one hand while the other tilted Jack’s face upwards, fingers caressing his cheek almost as a lover would. “Mr Harper and Miss Cooper clearly don’t care and Miss Sato isn’t even watching. As for Mr. Jones,” he snorted and glanced towards the camera. “He almost looks as if he’s enjoying this.”

Jack let out a wordless moan, his eyes sliding shut. Ianto’s fists clenched at his side. He wished that he could reach into the screen and inflict even a fraction of the pain that Jack was feeling upon the General, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t even offer Jack the slightest bit of hope that he still cared about him, never mind that they would get him out and that everything would be fine. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so helpless. Not even with Lisa.

“I think it’s time we put you out of your misery,” the General said. He turned to address someone to his right in his own language, barking out what was clearly an order. He then smiled into the camera. “I have asked my men to increase the amplitude along this cable. This will hurt him before it kills him, Torchwood. Is there anything you would like to say to me, before I’m forced to – well, I think we all know what I shall have to do.”

“Two words,” Owen said. “Fuck you, bastard.”

The General raised an eyebrow and said coolly, “I believe that’s three words.”

Then he thrust the sparking end of the cable into the centre of Jack’s chest. The Captain screamed, his body convulsing repeatedly before his knees gave way. He was left dangling by his arms – one, still broken from his previous beating, twisted painfully in the manacle – his body still jerking before his heart gave up the struggle against the onslaught of electricity. Ianto was forced to watch as his body shut down, his scream of pain reduced to sobbing gasps for breath that eventually stopped altogether – and still the flow of current made his muscles jump and twist, until finally the General tired of watching his corpse dance and pulled the cable away.

“Think on what I said,” the Antari said, and then ended the transmission.

There was silence in the Hub. After a long moment, Ianto remembered the coffee on his shoes and on the floor. Without a word, he turned and walked over to the centre of the mess, righted the tray and began to pick up the larger pieces of shattered crockery, placing them on the tray to make them easier to transport to the bin.

“Ianto?” Gwen said tentatively from somewhere behind him. He heard her get up and walk towards him, sensed her presence at his shoulder. He carried on picking up the broken mugs; if he didn’t do it, no one else would. “You can leave that, I’ll do it.”

“It’s fine,” he replied bluntly. “I made the mess, I’ll clean it up. And I’ll bring your coffee over as soon as I can. We’ve got spare mugs somewhere.”

He shot her as large a smile as he could manage and tried not to see how worried she was. He didn’t want sympathy from anyone. He just wanted to block out what was happening to Jack for the time being. It was the only way he could cope with the waiting and the not knowing.

He walked over to the bin and disposed of the rubbish before striding across the Hub to his small cleaning cupboard to retrieve a mop and bucket. By the time he had filled the bucket and begun to clear up the spillage, the cautious glances from Owen and Gwen were becoming less frequent. They had returned to their work, their silence a clear indication of their discomfort.

“Just let me do this and then I’ll make a fresh pot,” Ianto broke the silence. “I won’t be five minutes.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Owen said, spinning around on his chair to face him. “We could probably use some sleep anyway.” 

Gwen turned towards them frowning. Her own exhaustion was beginning to show, yet she still protested, “We shouldn’t sleep until we’ve found Jack.”

“If you want us to be fit to do anything when we do find him, then you’ll let us all get some rest,” Owen said firmly. “I know you’re in charge and everything, but I’m invoking my powers as medical officer. Either you go for a lie down in the medical room voluntarily, or I’m sedating you.”

“OK,” Gwen murmured, giving in and rubbing at her tired eyes. “No needles, I’ll come quietly.”

“Right,” Owen said, turning to look over at Ianto. “That goes for you, too. I’m not above knocking you out, either.”

Reluctantly, Ianto nodded. Despite everything that the Antari had shown them, his body was crying out for real rest. He doubted that he would be able to sleep, and was certain that if he did he would be plagued by nightmares, but he was willing to try. He glanced over at Toshiko’s workstation.

“What about Tosh?”

Owen followed his gaze, then raised his voice to call to her. “Tosh? You OK?”

She turned to look at them. “Fine,” she said softly. She looked stressed and as tired as the rest of them, but Ianto could see the determination in her eyes. “We can’t risk leaving Jack with the Antari any longer than necessary. I need to finish working on the Detonator as soon as possible. I’ll sleep when it’s done.”

“Are you sure?” Owen asked, for once showing a little of the concern Ianto knew he must feel under the layers of callous behaviour. “You’ve been up a long time ...”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve worked longer hours than this,” she said with a tiny smile before turning back to her workstation and effectively ending the discussion. Owen shrugged and gestured for Gwen to lead the way to the medical room. When Ianto didn’t immediately follow Owen turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

“I’ve not finished cleaning up – and I’ll make Tosh a fresh pot of coffee before I go.” Ianto explained as he reached for the mop, dunking it into the bucket before wringing it out.

Owen nodded, clearly satisfied. “But then straight to the medical room, understand? You need to rest – Jack’ll tear me a new one if anything happens to you because I didn’t make sure you were looking after yourself.”

“I can look after myself well enough, thank you, Owen.” Ianto protested, leaning heavily on the mop. “Besides, I’m not joining you in the medical room – Jack’s room is far more comfortable.”

He glanced away, hoping Owen would understand that his mind was made up and the conversation closed. To his relief, Owen nodded and turned away. Ianto quickly finished mopping up the spilled coffee and clearing away any last bits of the mugs, then found some more in the back of the cupboard and made Toshiko her coffee.

“Here,” he said as he placed the mug down beside her. “Enjoy.”

“I’m sure I will,” she replied gratefully, picking up the mug straight away and taking a long drink. “Thanks, Ianto. Now you should get some rest too.”

“I will,” he promised, touching her shoulder briefly. “There’s more coffee in the pot if you want it.”

She nodded distractedly, already looking at the plans again. Ianto hurried away; he knew that if he stayed for much longer, the need to watch over what she was doing in the hopes that it would hurry her along would resurface.


	14. Chapter 14

The Shothar Detonator was one of the most beautifully constructed pieces of equipment Toshiko had ever come across. Every circuit and component was placed not only to maximise the potential of the device, but also in a way that was aesthetically pleasing. The chance to work on such a rare and exquisite piece was an honour and would have been a delight if the circumstances had been different. She longed for the opportunity to take it apart into its component pieces so that she could analyse each one individually, but that was impossible. There just wasn’t time.

It seemed almost a shame to destroy the device. It amazed her that it had been constructed solely to explode when it was so intricately designed. However, she knew her priorities; no matter how exquisite a piece of technology was, she would trade it without hesitation for Jack’s safety. With a sigh, she pushed aside a slew of glittering optical fibres and peered beyond them, searching for a tiny and elusive component.

A chink to her right made her jump and look around. It was just Ianto, placing a steaming mug beside her empty one. His hair was damp, suggesting that he had taken a shower, and he was wearing a different shirt – dark blue and slightly ill-fitting, so most likely borrowed from Jack’s wardrobe. She glanced at the clock in the corner of her screen and frowned. Barely an hour had passed since Owen had sent the others to bed.

“Couldn’t sleep,” he said softly, pulling a chair across and perching beside her. “Believe me, I tried, but every time I closed my eyes...”

He trailed off, no doubt fighting back the very images that had kept him awake. She reached out, covering his hand with her own. “I can imagine. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping easy either.”

She suppressed a shudder; Jack’s captivity brought back memories of her own and she knew that it would be some time before they left her in peace once more. Ianto gestured to the device. “Are you any closer to being able to set a timer?”

Toshiko shook her head, glancing again at the plans. “A little,” she admitted, “but there’s still a way to go.” She paused, studying him closely for any clue to how he had taken the news. “Ianto,” she said finally, “you need to be prepared for it to take some time. This isn’t something that can be rushed.”

He nodded, “I know – and I’m sorry for how I reacted earlier. I know you’re working as fast as you can. It isn’t really an excuse but I’m just worried about Jack. I can’t stop thinking about him, what the Antari might be doing to him.”

“Me too,” Toshiko murmured. “I wish I could work faster, because that would mean getting him back sooner ...”

“You’re doing your best,” Ianto replied with a small smile. “That’s all anyone can ask for.” A moment later, his smile faded and he let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. “I just wish Jack knew that I still care about him. At least he doesn’t have doubts about you and Gwen and Owen.”

“The General’s been lying about all our reactions,” she said, reaching across to squeeze his hand again. “He’s been telling Jack that none of us care –”

“You’ve not given him a reason to believe it,” Ianto interrupted, pulling his hand away. “You didn’t give him reason to think you hate him before the Antari took him.”

She sighed deeply and rubbed at her eyes. Much as she was glad of the change of focus that a little conversation gave her, she couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t what she needed. “Look, Ianto, we’re all exhausted. Emotions are running high. I’m sure that Jack doesn’t believe what he’s being told by the Antari – but even if he does, when we get him back, you’ll have plenty of time to reassure him about how you feel.”

“If we get him back,” Ianto said dejectedly. Toshiko gritted her teeth.

“When, Ianto,” she repeated firmly. “It’s just a matter of time, now. And when we do, Jack will need someone to show him a bit of love and care. I’m sure he’d want it to be you – no matter what he’s been told, or what harsh words have been said.”

Ianto sighed, “I suppose you’re right,” he said, but both his tone and his expression told Toshiko that he was far from convinced. He rose to his feet, brushing imaginary dust from his trousers. “I think I’m going to make a start on some of Jack’s paperwork, it’ll keep my mind from wandering.”

She watched as he retreated across the Hub to Jack’s office, closing the door behind him and drawing the blinds shut. She sighed, deciding it was best to give him some privacy, and turned back to her work. The Detonator hung silently between the clamps, its interior shining in the bright lights she had trained upon it. In truth, she was barely beginning to understand the way the diagram was set out. The device had been exploded to give each board and circuit space to be seen, but the components were not to scale; it seemed they had been drawn with their size corresponding to their complexity, which made it difficult to identify them within the detonator. She glanced guiltily towards Jack’s office; she didn’t like lying to Ianto, but nor did she want to disappoint him.

 

Owen stepped into the Hub, glancing around for the others. Toshiko was engrossed in the Detonator, but of the others there was no sign. Gwen, he assumed, was still in the shower, but he didn’t have any idea about Ianto. He hoped he was still asleep, but that was unlikely. He crossed the room towards Toshiko, leaning against her desk to watch her progress for a few seconds, giving her time to carefully remove her hands from the device and turn her attention to him.

“How’s it going?” he asked, nodding towards the device.

“I think I’m almost certain I know how this works,” she explained. “I’ll be able to start work on the timer soon.” She broke off, rubbing her eyes before shooting Owen a tight smile. “We should be able to get Jack back before the day is out.”

“That’s brilliant,” Owen grinned. “You’re brilliant.” He glanced around the room again – not wanting to see the surprised smile light up her face. “Is Ianto still sleeping?”

“I doubt it,” she replied, turning her attention back to the Detonator. “Last time I saw him, he said he was going to do some paperwork in Jack’s office. He didn’t stay asleep for long after you ordered him to bed, either.”

She sounded worried. Owen glanced up at the closed blinds and frowned. He knew that Jack kept Scotch in his desk and he could imagine that Ianto would be in need of a drink after the last transmission. The last thing they needed was for Ianto to be more emotional.

“Hey,” Gwen said as she walked into the Hub with a towel around her shoulders to keep her t-shirt from getting soaked with water dripping from her hair. She saw the look on Owen’s face and immediately asked, “What’s going on?”

“We need to check on Ianto,” he said, already striding towards the door to Jack’s office. “I don’t like the thought of him alone in there.”

He could hear Gwen following him and paused at the door. He took a deep breath, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Ianto looked up at him. The paperwork he was supposedly doing was spread out across Jack’s desk, and Ianto had a pen in his hand, not the glass – or possibly bottle – Owen had been expecting. The bottle of Scotch was sitting on the desk in front of him, but it was still mostly full. He looked like he hadn’t rested at all and there were dark patches under his eyes.

“Oh,” he said, looking at the two of them blankly. “You’re up, then?”

“Yeah,” Owen said lamely. He felt almost bad for thinking the worst of Ianto now, and he was glad that he hadn’t actually mentioned his suspicions to Gwen or Toshiko. “So are you – did you actually get any sleep at all?”

Ianto turned his head away, at least having the grace to look abashed. “Not really,” he admitted, “I did try, though.”

Owen snorted. “Not very hard, from what Toshiko said,” he muttered. But he didn’t push it; Ianto looked genuinely apologetic and as if, at this point, he was starting to crave rest. Owen tried to glance at his watch without drawing attention to the action, but a moment later he caught both Gwen and Ianto checking the time. It was almost time for another transmission: the very reason he and Gwen had got up in the first place.

“I saw there was coffee in the pot,” Gwen said, turning to go and get a drink.

Owen was about to follow her when Ianto said tightly, “Wait.” Owen and Gwen both turned. Ianto’s face was drawn as he stared at the screen. It was obvious what was displayed there, even before he added. “We’ve got another transmission.”

Owen and Gwen exchanged a look before moving around to stand beside Ianto. Gwen placed her hand on Ianto’s shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze of encouragement. “Let’s get this over with.”

Ianto nodded, but he still hesitated before accepting the transmission. At first, the screen was simply black. Then, just as Owen was starting to suspect that there was something wrong with the connection, a light flicked on to illuminate a transparent tube. Jack had been let down from the chains that suspended him from the ceiling and instead sat slumped in the bottom of the tube. Owen leaned closer and realised that he wasn’t breathing.

“He’s not back yet,” he announced, folding his arms. “Why are they showing us this?”

“And why the tube?” Gwen asked, gesturing towards the screen and frowning at Owen and Ianto. “What the hell are they playing at?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” Owen said under his breath. He glanced at Ianto, who was staring fixedly at the screen with his jaw clenched. He didn’t like the look on the younger man’s face.

“He’s trapped in there.” Ianto murmured. “Whatever they do to him he won’t be able to escape.”

Owen peered closer at the screen, realising that Ianto was right. Whatever the aliens were planning, they wanted Jack to feel trapped by it. They wanted him to realise that there would be no way out.

“Sick bastards,” he murmured.

No sooner had the words left his mouth, Jack revived with a loud gasp. He surged forwards, hands coming to rest on the glass before him. Instantly he flinched back, cradling his injured arm to his chest before clambering gingerly to his feet to get a better view of his prison, turning in a full circle before stopping and, with a resigned sigh, leaning back against the glass wall. He didn’t look as though he knew he was being filmed, Owen thought, as he watched Jack slide back to the bottom of the tube. The Captain’s head dropped forward and he raised a hand to wipe it across his face before turning his attention back to the solid glass walls.

“Oh, Jack.” Ianto whispered, looking close to tears. Gwen reached out and squeezed his shoulder. Owen noticed that her hands were shaking.

Jack pressed his good hand to the glass, taking a second look at his newest prison. Then suddenly he jerked and looked down at his feet, scrambling to a crouch and touching the metal base before feeling around the edges. After a few moments, Jack clambered to his feet and started feeling around the tube again, his fingers leaving streaks on the glass.

“What?” Gwen frowned, bending and peering into the screen. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t –” Ianto began, breaking off and shifting forwards in his seat as he tried to see. Owen leaned closer in an attempt to work out what was going on. Then he realised as a reflection glanced off the base.

“Is that water?”

“Where?” Gwen asked.

“There – at the bottom,” Owen said, pointing. There were more reflections now – and a splash as Jack shifted from foot to foot, flecks of water clinging to the inside of the glass tube.

“Oh my God,” Gwen murmured, covering her mouth with a hand. “You’re right.” Her fingers curled around the back of Ianto’s chair and she looked around at Owen, her eyes wide. “They wouldn’t.”

The water was now splashing around Jack’s ankles and quickly rising towards his knees. Jack was still searching for a way out, pressing against the glass and standing up on his tip-toes, reaching upwards to press against the metal roof of his prison. His panic was written across his face as he searched for an escape from the rapidly rising water.

Owen swore under his breath, looking away. He didn’t want to see this; this was pure cruelty. When he looked back, the water had reached Jack’s knees. The Captain’s face contorted as he tried to jump and shove at the top of the tube in a futile attempt to push it off. It looked heavy, and Owen thought he could see bolts holding it in place.

“This is sick,” Gwen hissed between her fingers. Owen squeezed her shoulder. He glanced towards the door, but Toshiko hadn’t come to investigate. He was glad; he knew that seeing Jack in such a confined space would probably freak her out.

He saw Jack shouting into the darkness, but there was no sound: either the Antari had cut the sound feed or the glass was thick enough to block it. He glanced at Ianto, watching him as he stared at the screen. His hands were clenched into tight fists and he seemed to be muttering something under his breath. Owen stepped forward, “Ianto, if you don’t want to watch this...”

“No,” Ianto replied sharply. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m partly responsible for this; I owe it to Jack to watch.”

Owen wanted to protest, but he could sense that Ianto was resolute in this. When he glanced back to the screen the water had reached waist height. Jack had stopped scrabbling at the roof, and was instead banging on the glass walls, trying to break them, or attract attention. He was still shouting, his expression becoming increasingly panicked as time went on.

“Oh, God,” Gwen muttered, reaching across to grab Owen’s sleeve. “Oh, God ...”

Owen reached out, taking hold of Gwen’s hand and lacing their fingers together before giving her hand a sharp squeeze. “It’ll be ok,” he murmured, “we’re going to get him back.”

“Not fast enough,” she said, her eyes fixed on Jack. He had now given up on holding his hurt arm carefully now and as using both to hammer on the glass, apparently ignoring the pain. “I don’t want to imagine what sort of state he’ll be in when we do.”

Owen placed a hand on Ianto’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he turned his attention back to the transmission. The water was now around Jack’s shoulders, and the Captain had propelled himself upwards. He was treading water as he alternated between pushing at the roof and trying in vain to remove the screws with his bare hands. Though he couldn’t see it, Owen suspected that his fingertips and nails would be torn and blooded by now.

“They’re just taunting us now,” he said softly, shaking his head. There was only a hand-span between the top of the tube and the surface of the water. “They’ve not even asked us to give them the Detonator.”

They watched helplessly as Jack tipped his head back so that he could still breathe. He was no longer shouting, just concentrating on each breath and on trying to get out of the tube. His finger scrabbled at the seam between metal and glass. The gap closed and Jack was forced to press his mouth to the metal to gasp for air. Owen saw Ianto cover his mouth his one hand and screw his eyes closed momentarily as the tube filled completely.

With the tube full and no air left, Jack allowed himself to drop and returned to slamming his fists against the curve of the glass as he ran out of air. Unable to hold his breath any longer, he opened his mouth, the last of his breath escaping in bubbles and then this chest heaving as he tried to breathe. Owen watched, morbidly fascinated, as his motions became smaller and weaker. His skin colour was quickly turning to blue as he asphyxiated.

Gwen turned away from the screen pressing her forehead against Owen’s shoulder. Ianto remained transfixed, his hands clenching and unclenching and shoulders shuddering in his effort to keep his emotions in check. While Owen wanted to turn away he felt that if Ianto was able to watch then so should he. The two of them watched as Jack’s fingers finally dropped from the glass and hung in the water, his body going limp and his eyes rolling back until only the whites were visible. Beneath Owen’s palm, Ianto’s shoulder heaved once as he let out a silent sob. Jack’s body slowly drifted downwards, his feet making contact with the metal floor and then his own weight forcing his knees to bend. His body folded down on itself, flopping backwards until his back hit the glass. His head drooped onto his shoulder as he finally came to rest at the bottom of the tube.

The seconds ticked by, each one seeming to stretch so that minutes seemed like hours. Owen kept an eye on the clock, watching as the minutes ticked by. It took around three minutes to die of oxygen starvation and Owen suspected that the Antari were ensuring that Jack was truly dead before revealing the next stage of their plan.

Owen could feel Ianto’s shoulders trembling in anticipation beneath his hand. He gave it a quick squeeze and watched as the water began to drain. It took mere seconds to empty, leaving Jack’s limp corpse at the bottom. The camera lingered on his body for a moment and then the screen went dead.

Before any of them could speak, Ianto stood, shrugging off Owen’s hand and running his hand through his hair. He broke away from them, pacing up and down the office. Owen watched him for a second, then a small sound from Gwen’s direction caught his attention. She had taken Ianto’s seat and covered her face with her hands. Owen patted her on the shoulder awkwardly.

“It’s OK,” he murmured.

There was a crash of shattering glass from behind them. Gwen jerked and Owen whirled around to see Ianto breathing heavily and glaring at him, the blinds swinging wildly. “No it fucking isn’t!”

Then Owen realised that there was splintered glass on the floor. He looked down at Ianto’s hands and realised that his right knuckles were bloody. He glanced at Gwen before hurrying over to Ianto and grabbing his arm, lifting it to take a closer look. There were pieces of glass embedded in his knuckles and the cuts were bleeding freely. He swallowed hard.

“Come on,” he said firmly. “Medical bay.”

Ianto didn’t object as Owen ushered him out of the office. Toshiko was staring across the room at them in surprise and gasped when she saw Ianto’s injury, but Owen shook his head. She looked uncomfortable but went back to what she was doing without speaking. In the medical bay, he sat Ianto down and went to grab some supplies to bandage his hand and a set of tweezers.

“Hold still,” he said, grabbing Ianto’s wrist to keep him in place while he pulled out the pieces of glass. He worked methodically, starting with the largest, while Ianto hissed and winced. Owen gave him a look. “Shouldn’t have punched the wall, then, should you?”

Ianto shrugged. “Would you rather I punched you?”

There was no response to that. Owen frowned, still removing the pieces of glass from Ianto’s knuckles. “Look, you’re not helping anyone by getting yourself hurt. I’m going to have enough to do patching Jack up, and I won’t even be able to treat most of the damage – you’ll have the big job.”

“What do you mean?” Ianto asked, raising an eyebrow.

Owen looked up briefly, “Well, he’s not going to talk to me, is he?”

Ianto raised an eyebrow, “I doubt Jack will want anything to do with me after this – let alone a heart-to-heart. I’ve done enough damage as it is,”

“I think you’re underestimating how much Jack trusts you. I know you argued, but Jack isn’t going to believe anything he’s told by the General.” Owen said, satisfied that Ianto’s hand was free of glass and reaching for the antiseptic wipes.

“Why shouldn’t he?” Ianto asked as Owen cleaned the cuts on his hands and grabbed some surgical strips to help keep them closed. He shook his head, “I good as told Jack that I didn’t care about him. What is he meant to think?”

Owen raised his head, meeting Ianto’s gaze. “You were upset when you said that, and angry. Jack knows that and he’ll forgive you.” He shrugged. “Even if you hadn’t argued the General would have used you against him. He’s trying to break Jack and you’re his best chance of doing that.”

Ianto looked away, watching as Owen finished with the surgical strips and picked up a roll of bandages. “I know you’re right,” he admitted eventually. “But it doesn’t stop me feeling guilty. If I hadn’t been angry I’d have gone with you and...”

“You’d have been captured too – maybe killed, and I don’t want to think about Jack’s reaction to that.” Owen interrupted, taking a careful hold of Ianto’s hand and wrapping the bandage around it. “I’ll wager that Jack’s glad you weren’t there.”

Ianto sighed, shoulders slumping, “You might be right - but I’m still not convinced that Jack will ever trust me again. Not enough to let me help him, at least. He won’t believe me when I tell him I do care – I mean, why would he?”

“Look,” Owen said, tying up the bandage and cutting off the loose end. “Chances are that Jack’s going to need someone when he gets back. He’ll take one look at you, see how upset you are, and see the General’s lies for what they are. At the end of the day, he’s going to want you.” He stepped back, looking Ianto up and down. “You look like hell, Ianto, there’s no way that he could look at you and think you’ve not been worried sick.”

He dropped the bandages on the table and shook his head. He understood Ianto’s doubts, but at the same time knew that they were unfounded. He had been sceptical of their relationship before, but now he could see that what they shared was more than just casual sex.

“You shouldn’t worry about it,” he concluded. “You and Jack will be shagging like rabbits again in no time.”

“I hope you’re right.” Ianto answered, raising his head and shooting Owen a smile that came out as more of a grimace. He pushed himself off the desk, glancing at his hand briefly before turning his attention back to Owen. “I’m going to go and make a round of coffee – I assume you want one?”

Owen raised an eyebrow. “When have I ever said no?”

Ianto chuckled, and then turned on his heel, heading out of the medical bay. He paused halfway up the steps, glancing over his shoulder.

“Thank you,” he said. Then he was gone. Owen knew that neither of them would speak of the conversation again, that it was over, but he also knew that Ianto would not forget it – and for that matter, neither would he.


	15. Chapter 15

Jack revived violently, jerking in his chains as he sucked air into his oxygen-starved lungs. His heart hammered in his chest as his body strained to regain its equilibrium. Darkness surrounded him once again and his arms were straining from having to support his body while unconscious. As soon as his heart and breathing had slowed he shifted his legs beneath him, pushing himself upwards onto his tiptoes.

Steadied, he let out a long sigh of relief. His current situation was by no means enviable but it was preferable by far to the claustrophobic tube he had last awoken in. Jack considered drowning one of his least favourite ways to die, but the tight space had made it so much more traumatic. He suppressed a shudder at the memory, knowing it would no doubt haunt his dreams for nights to come. It would be worse, too, if the General was right and Ianto truly didn’t care.

Jack felt terrible for doubting Ianto, but it was difficult not to when their argument still echoed through his mind. Jack had never felt entirely deserving of Ianto’s devotion. He didn’t understand how Ianto could see his flaws and mistakes – not to mention the terrible decisions he was forced to make – and still forgive him. It was easy for him to believe that he had pushed Ianto too far. It would be his own fault if he had driven him away. But he didn’t think he could stand it if Ianto wanted nothing to do with him. He would be lost without him. Without Ianto, no one would offer him the comfort and reassurances he needed.

He drew in a sharp breath, reminding himself that the General was cruel and manipulative, that lying about Ianto would work to his advantage. Yet it was impossible to shake the doubt that had crept into his mind.

His thoughts were cut short as the light flickered on. Jack immediately screwed his eyes shut, giving them chance to acclimatise to the brightness before opening them once again. He was hardly surprised to find the General standing before him, accompanied by one of his warriors.

“If you’re here to kill me again then you’d better get it over with,” Jack said, forcing nonchalance. “I’ve got to tell you, though – drowning? So unimaginative.”

The General smiled, taking a step forward. “I believe Mr. Jones would feel otherwise. He seemed to enjoy your distress. But you needn’t worry, Captain. We are not here to kill you – merely to talk.”

“I’ve nothing to say to you,” Jack snarled, yanking at his chains in an effort to get closer to the Antari. “And to be completely honest, I’d rather fuck a Raxacoricofallapatorian than talk to you.”

At this, the guard to the General’s right stepped forward, slamming a gloved fist into Jack’s solar plexus while spitting out a vitriolic tirade in his own tongue. Prevented from doubling over by the chains, Jack could only let out a strained cry as once again he was deprived of oxygen. As he spluttered and gasped, dragging mouthfuls of air into his burning lungs, he was vaguely aware that the General had laid his hand on the soldier’s arm and steered him backwards. The pair exchanged brief words in their language before the guard once again positioned himself at the General’s right hand and shot Jack a furious glance.

“I do apologise,” the General said as Jack regained the ability to breathe normally. “Isanthan has a tendency to be hot-headed. He does not appreciate any insult or threat towards me.” He favoured the soldier with a smile before turning his attention back to Jack, the smile turning cruel. “It is such a shame that Mr. Jones does not feel the same loyalty towards you. If he did, he would have surely come marching in here, demanding your release, by now – as Isanthan would have done for me. Or perhaps he would have given up the Shothar Detonator to keep you safe. Showing his weakness, perhaps, but it would still be proof that he cares. He would not have let you suffer so, not if he truly cared for you.”

Jack met the General’s gaze and, pushing all his doubt to the back of his mind, said, “Ianto isn’t like that. I know he’s doing all he can to rescue me – and to wipe the floor with your sorry ass. They all are.”

The General chuckled, shaking his head slowly. “Then why haven’t they attempted to rescue you again? They are cutting it rather fine. I gave them an ultimatum: if they haven’t come for you in – oh, about ten hours, now - then I’m afraid we will be leaving and taking you along with us.”

Jack paled. “They’ll come,” he said, although his voice was a little less certain than he would have liked and he was starting to panic. “I know they’ll come. They wouldn’t just leave me here.”

Then again, he would never have expected them to leave him for this long. The more time that passed, the more concerned Jack became that something wasn’t right. The team – Ianto – should have come for him by now. The idea that they didn’t care was much easier to swallow than the possibility that they hadn’t come because they were injured or worse.

The General stepped closer, placing a hand beneath Jack’s chin and tilting it upwards. “But they have, Captain. They have left you here.” He smiled. “Perhaps they have realised that they will be better off without you. Perhaps that is why they still refuse our demands.”

Jack jerked his head back, away from the General’s touch. “They’re following protocol. I wouldn’t want them to hand over the device and they know that. I’m proud that they haven’t given in because of a few threats.”

The General turned away, approaching the guard. “Tell me, Isanthan, if I was in Captain Harkness’s situation – what would you do? Would you refuse to hand over the means to my freedom?”

When the soldier responded in his own tongue, shaking his head in the universal sign for ‘no’, Jack felt his heart sink. Although he still believed the team were doing the right thing, and didn’t want them to hand over the detonator, he still felt a twinge of hurt that they would leave him here to suffer and not even attempt a second rescue.

“See, Captain Harkness?” the General said. “If your team truly wanted you back they would hand over the Detonator regardless. It is clear to me that they do not care about you and that they believe their lives would be better without you.”

“No,” Jack said, shaking his head. “That isn’t true.” And while he couldn’t deny that he had improved the lives of each member of his team in some way, he was also forced to recollect the many times they had been hurt because of him. He glanced at the floor, still shaking his head as he murmured, “You’re wrong.”

“But am I?” the General commented. “I believe if you really thought about it, you would realise that all you do is hurt them. They would be better off without you, Captain. They have realised that now. But I wonder if they ever really needed you – or whether you gathered them to you when they were broken because you needed them?”

He stopped and gave Jack a long, searching look. His eyes were as cold and unreadable as ever, but his expression seemed to be genuinely curious. Traitorously, Jack wondered if he was right – if, in the midst of his good intentions, he had only managed to be as self-serving as he used to be, before he met the Doctor. He looked away from the Antari’s slitted pupils.

“Even if they take you back, they will not care about you. You will end up alone once again,” the General reminded him softly. He paused, bringing a hand to his chin and stroking it in silent contemplation. “I imagine it must be difficult to find love with your condition. It seems that you cannot hide your longevity for any period of time, and if you tell them – well, they can only look upon you as a freak. They will never understand it, and eventually the jealousy will consume them – and even before then they will stop caring because, after all, you always come back. You always heal. Who could care about someone who is never really in any danger?”

Jack could think of no reply to that. It was a question that had often occurred to him. The fact that his body couldn’t be permanently harmed meant that most people thought that physical injury and even death meant little to him. Although this wasn’t entirely true, for the most part Jack allowed people to think that because it was easier to keep everyone at arm’s length if they thought he was invincible. Only Ianto had been able to see through the charade – until now.

“Did you really think they would miss you?” the General asked, circling Jack slowly. “The freak who dragged them out of the frying pan and thrust them into the fire. Do you know what you do to people, Harkness? Do you have any idea?”

“Shut up,” Jack snapped. He was tried of this one-sided conversation. “Just shut up.”

The General’s cold mouth brushed his ear. “Not one person in your precious team is happy. Not one. And do you know why? No, of course you don’t - you are far too wrapped up in your own self-pity. ‘Oh, what a sorry lot I have been given: unable to die, unable to be normal, unable to find anyone to love me!’” he whined, imitating Jack’s accent fairly successfully but making it grate on even Jack’s nerves. “You are not worthy of their devotion – and they know it.”

“I don’t want their devotion,” Jack growled, pulling at his chains. He knew that they would not break, but he wanted to punch the General so Goddamn much, he had to do something.

“Oh, but you do,” the General said frankly, walking around in front of Jack and leaning in close. “You want to impress them, you want them to adore you. Well, Captain. I think it’s quite clear that they do not.”

He turned and walked over to his soldier, murmuring something to him in their native language. The warrior nodded once and started to follow the General towards the door. It slid open in front of them and the General paused. He did not turn around, but what he said was undoubtedly meant for Jack’s ears.

“I pity you, Harkness. Without the love of those who follow you, what kind of leader do you expect to be?”


	16. Chapter 16

Gwen glanced at her watch. Six in the morning. Her body clock was going to be completely backwards when this was over. Then again, she felt tired enough to sleep for at least eighteen hours, and she probably would as soon as she had the opportunity.

She glanced around at the rest of the team. Owen was now lying on the couch with his arms thrown over his face to block out the light. He gave the impression that he was relaxed but she could see from the way he held his body that he was not sleeping. He was too tense to be asleep. Toshiko was still sitting at her workstation, working tirelessly to add a timer to the Shothar Detonator. It was complex and time-consuming work, but from what Gwen could tell she seemed to be getting there - slowly but surely. However, it was clear from the way she occasionally rubbed at her eyes and stifled yawns that she was flagging and Gwen would be glad when the Detonator was ready to be shipped off and Toshiko could sleep again.

However, the majority of Gwen’s worries lay with Ianto. His face was sickly pale, heightening the impression of the dark circles under his eyes. He had spent most of the time since the last transmission carefully scrolling through data in an attempt to find any reference to the Antari. There was little they could do if he did find anything, but it kept him busy.

Toshiko was the only one in the enviable position of having something constructive to do. The rest of them were left simply waiting for her to finish, trying desperately not to seem as if they were looming over her shoulder and piling on the pressure.

For the third time in the past hour, Ianto got up and went over to the coffee machine to get himself a fresh cup. Gwen watched him and noticed that he didn’t add the cream he usually took with his coffee before taking the mug back to his desk. She frowned; that couldn’t be a good sign.

She waited until he was back at his desk, then got up and went over to the sofa, nudging Owen until he unfolded his arms from around his head and opened his eyes. “What?”

“Shove over,” she said, waving a hand towards his feet. With a deep sigh, he swung his legs off the sofa to sit up so that she too could take a seat.

“Right. What?”

Gwen nodded in Ianto’s direction. “He can’t keep going like this,” she said softly, making sure to keep her voice to a whisper. “He’s running on adrenaline and caffeine.”

“He’ll make himself ill if he carries on like this for much longer,” Owen commented, not bothering to keep his voice down. Ianto looked up at them and Gwen steeled herself for another sharp rebuke. There was no way Owen’s comment had been unheard.

However, when he spoke, Ianto sounded tired but calm. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, right,” Owen grumbled, shaking his head. Ianto went back to what he was doing without further comment. Owen looked over at Gwen. “He will, you know.”

“I don’t suppose there’s a lot we can do about it, short of sedating him again,” Gwen sighed.

“Even sedation isn’t an alternative to real sleep,” he replied. Gwen rubbed at her eyes and sighed again.

“I wish we had Jack back,” she whispered. She hated the feeling of helplessness the most. The fact that she could do nothing ate away at her. Their inaction made her feel guilty, although she knew that there was nothing they could do yet.

“We all do,” Owen said, giving her a gentle nudge with his elbow that pulled her out of her thoughts. “It won’t be long now.” He raised his voice to call, “Won’t be long now. Will it, Tosh?”

She turned to look over her shoulder at them, staring blearily at them as her eyes struggled with the sudden change of focus. “Another few hours. I need to be absolutely sure I’m putting everything in the right place. I don’t want to risk it going off early – or late – because the people who built it measure time differently to us.”

“Thanks, Tosh. We know you’re doing your best,” Gwen said, forcing an encouraging smile before she glanced at Ianto to gauge his reaction. He was still staring impassively at his screen: another worrying thing. His lack of response didn’t bode well as far as she was concerned. Ianto wasn’t one to display his emotions openly, but he seemed to have stopped reacting altogether since the last transmission.

“That’s not good either,” Owen said softly, leaning across to speak directly into her ear so that Ianto wouldn’t hear. “Bottling it up. I mean, I don’t want him putting his fist through any more panes of glass, but … this could be worse. The last thing I need is two people with psychological trauma to deal with …”

“I know,” Gwen murmured, placing her hand on top of Owen’s and squeezing. “It’s only a few more hours. Then we’ll have Jack back here and things can start to get back to normal.”

“I bloody well hope so,” Owen said, pulling his hand away and standing up so that he too could get himself some more coffee. While he stirred in his sugar, he turned to speak to Toshiko. “Not that I’m rushing you or anything, Tosh, but is there any chance you could hurry it up a bit?”

“Maybe if you brought me more coffee?” she suggested, only half-joking if Gwen read her tone correctly. Obediently, Owen began to make her a drink as well before Ianto could get up or offer. For once, the younger man didn’t argue that coffee was his territory and simply continued to stare into the screen. Toshiko glanced over at him, clearly picking up on it too, then looked over at Owen. “Seriously, though, unless you want me to risk blowing us all up, I can’t go any faster.”

Owen carried her coffee across to her, placed it on the desk and then squeezed her shoulder. “I know,” he murmured, his voice the gentlest it had been since Gwen had disturbed him. “I know you wouldn’t slack off with one of the team in danger.”

Toshiko smiled up at him before picking up her coffee gratefully and taking a long drink.

“I know I’m hardly a Coffee God, like Ianto, but at least it’s drinkable, yeah?” he said in a half-hearted attempt at lightening the mood. Toshiko smiled as she put the mug down.

“It’s warm and full of caffeine and sugar: that’s good for me,” she replied, turning her attention back to the Detonator. Owen gave her shoulder another squeeze and returned to the sofa and sat beside Gwen again.

“So now we wait,” he murmured. He glanced at her, and she knew he could see the signs of exhaustion. “You should rest.”

“So should you. So should Ianto,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not going to sleep again until we have Jack safe and sound.”

Owen didn’t bother to argue again. She knew that he felt the same way – they all did. This was the morning of the fourth day of Jack’s incarceration, the third day of his torture. The next transmission would be at least his sixth death in roughly twenty-four hours. Faced with everything Jack had been through, the days of worry and lack of sleep on their part seemed easy. She glanced around the Hub at Owen, Ianto and Toshiko and knew that she couldn’t be the only one thinking such a thing. None of them would rest now until they had traded the booby-trapped Shothar Detonator for Jack’s freedom.

 

Jack had not been able to think of anything but the General’s words since his last visit. The insinuation that Ianto – that all of the team – hated him was almost too much for him to bear. In the impenetrable darkness, time seemed to stretch to the point where seconds were unbearable. He had tried to think of happier things but they had invariably led him back to Ianto, to Torchwood, and even when he thought further back he was forced to remember old relationships: Lucia, Estelle, everyone he had loved and lost. Had they ever loved him in return or had that too been a lie?

Jack honestly didn’t know anymore. He had never thought himself worthy of love in the first place – some of the things he had done were too terrible to be forgiven – but he had thought his charisma and good looks could have hidden the truth from people. Apparently not. When the lights flickered on again sometime later, he was almost relieved, even though it meant that the Antari were back. At least the torment would occupy his mind.

The General walked into the room with a smile on his face. He was followed by a couple of his men, one of whom carried a tray. The metal objects on it glimmered. Jack swallowed, deciding there and then that he didn’t really want a closer look at them. Instead, he looked at the other guard and realised that he recognised him from his last meeting with the Antari.

“Harkness,” the General said pleasantly. “How are you feeling? Still mulling over the feelings of your so-called friends?”

“I’m feeling great, actually,” Jack lied, forcing himself to grin. “Imagining what you’d look like after a couple of rounds with a Weevil does wonders for my morale.”

The General smiled at him, his expression telling Jack quite clearly that his words had fallen as flat as he had suspected they would. “I’m so glad,” the Antari said as he walked closer, the warrior with the tray following at his heels. Once he was a couple of feet away, the General continued, “You see, we need to prepare you for the next transmission to the Hub. You’ll need all of your strength, I’m afraid.”

“Do your worst,” Jack said, holding his chin high in defiance. “But let me ask you this: if my team don’t care, if they hate me, why do you keep sending them transmissions? Surely it doesn’t achieve anything?”

The General smiled, “Because no decent sentient being would be able to watch what I am about to do to you and not give in. They wouldn’t want this inflicted on anyone – not even you, Jack.”

“So what does that make you, then?” Jack replied, glancing nervously at the General’s favoured guard. The Antari’s eyes narrowed and Jack saw his jaw muscles move as he gritted his teeth, but he did not twitch.

“I said watch,” the General said, turning and picking up a couple of items from the tray. “Not carry out.”

He turned back to Jack, holding a long syringe filled with a dark coloured liquid and tipped with a sharp needle. The feeling of dread in Jack’s chest doubled and he flinched back, his chains rattling as he strained against them. “What’s that?” he asked, “are you planning on poisoning me now? That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“This? Oh, you needn’t worry about this, Jack,” the General murmured as he squeezed the air bubbles out of the syringe until a little of the fluid leaked from the tip of the needle. He turned his attention back to Jack and smiled. “This is simply a stimulant: once it has taken effect, it will prevent you from passing out. No matter what we do to you.”

The General watched Jack carefully as his words sank in, then started to smile. Jack could feel fear – real, genuine fear of a kind he had not felt in a long time – creeping up his spine. He already knew that the Antari were fond of causing him pain. To be tortured with no hope of unconsciousness was a horrible thought.

“Ah,” the General said. “I see that we understand each other.”

He raised the hand that held the syringe and plunged it into Jack’s neck. The Captain yelped at the sudden pain and tried to flinch away but the guard Jack recognised stepped forward, grabbing the sides of his head and holding it still. Jack screwed his eyes shut as the General injected him, feeling the burn of the liquid as it entered his bloodstream.

It was over in a matter of seconds. The General removed the syringe and set it down on the tray before turning and patting Jack on the cheek. “There. That wasn’t so bad, now, was it?”

He took a step back, running his gaze over Jack’s body before signalling to his guards. The pair of them turned and headed towards the door but the General lingered to watch Jack’s reaction. Eventually, he nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Well Jack, I shall be seeing you in a short while.”

He turned on his heel and followed his guards from the room, letting the door clang shut behind him and plunging Jack into familiar darkness.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: A strong stomach may be needed for this chapter.

Ianto knew he was nearing breaking point – if he hadn’t already passed that some hours ago. He desperately needed sleep and something to eat, but the former was impossible and even the thought of the latter made him queasy. He had tried to eat earlier, after Gwen had popped out to check on Rhys and had returned with breakfast. He had barely managed a mouthful and even that lay heavily on his stomach.

He wanted Jack back, it was as simple as that. Only then would he be able to eat and rest – not before. He sank down at his computer, trying his hardest not to imagine what state Jack was in now. With a sigh, he tilted his screen away from the rest of the room and brought up the CCTV archives. Typing in a couple of commands, and then a password, he opened a folder of hidden footage – not even Toshiko knew about this one – and began to scroll through the images. This was where Jack stored their private videos – ones that they didn’t want the team to see. Enlarging one, Ianto found himself staring at a picture from a few nights back. Jack lay on the sofa, eyes closed, head cushioned by Ianto’s lap as he allowed himself to relax completely. 

Ianto fought back the lump in his throat, wondering if, after everything he had said, Jack would ever trust him like that again. He let the footage play until he and Jack left the Hub together, then closed the file and the folder. Much as he would have liked to watch more to remind himself of what they had shared, it hurt too much. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed deeply. He was running low on caffeine again. He closed his eyes for a moment. He would get up in a second, he thought as his mind began to drift. He would get up and make more coffee.

“Ianto?” Gwen’s voice, sounding urgent. He snapped out of the doze he had somehow drifted into and sat upright. He had no idea how long he had been out of it, but he guessed not long. The others would have noticed. “Ianto, are you coming?”

“What?” he muttered, disorientated and annoyed that his body had betrayed him. Then he realised that all the screens in the Hub, including his own, were lit with an all too familiar message.

INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM AN-CA-131: HOUR 42

ACCEPT?

YES                 NO

  


Ianto swallowed hard and forced himself to his feet. Gwen was standing in the doorway to Jack’s office: evidently that was where they would be watching the transmission. He hurried over, rubbing at his eyes and trying to will his body into wakefulness. Once inside, Owen beckoned him over to Jack’s chair and pushed him into it, then leaned across him to click ‘yes’.

The scene changed to reveal Jack. Ianto felt a stab of relief when he saw that Jack was no longer in the tank. It quickly faded when he realised that he was lying on an operating table instead. Metal shackles around his wrists and ankles held him spread-eagled and practically immobile but a closer look revealed that his fingers were twitching minutely and his eyes were wild, his pupils dilated. A muzzle had been secured around his jaw, keeping his mouth clamped shut. They had completely stripped Jack of his dignity, treating him as if he was little more than an animal. Ianto felt rage twist in his gut as he wished that he could have a moment alone with the Antari General.

“Shit,” Owen muttered, “he been drugged. Whatever it is it looks like he’s overdosing, too.” 

Ianto flinched at Owen’s words. He had seen the effects of drug abuse too many times in his youth and knew that it was never pleasant. 

After focussing on Jack for a little longer, the camera panned out to reveal the rest of the room. A group of Antari were standing around the table wearing gloves and robes that covered them from throat to ankle. The General was standing at the head of the table, running his hand over Jack’s brow. When he spoke into the camera, his tone was cool and clinical but his words were alien.

“What the hell is he talking about?” Owen snapped, and as if on cue, subtitles began to scroll across the bottom of the screen.

_Captain Jack Harkness: human. Upon initial inspection, no different to the millions of other humans occupying this planet. However, our research has shown that Harkness has the ability to regenerate. Put simply, he cannot die. It is vital, therefore, that we investigate his condition further for the benefit of the Antari race._

The General stepped away from Jack and made a gesture.

_Begin dissection._

“Oh God,” Ianto whispered, his hands curled into fists, clutching at the arms of his chair.

“Oh God.”

“I don’t think I can watch,” Gwen muttered. “They wouldn’t do this. They can’t.” 

Ianto knew how she felt. He wished he too could turn away but he owed it to Jack to watch. One of the Antari picked up a thin metal device and Ianto closed his eyes briefly. He took a deep steadying breath before reopening them and focussing all his attention on Jack. 

Owen’s hand landed on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “He’ll pass out before they can cause him any serious pain,” he pointed out. “The human body – even Jack’s – isn’t intended to deal with that much stress.”

Ianto wanted to believe Owen, but Jack showed no sign of fainting. His eyes were still wide as he stared at the instrument and small, muffled noises of protest were coming from his closed mouth. 

The Antari lowered the device until the tip hovered centimetres from Jack’s skin. He ran his thumb down the length and a thin laser beam expanded to form a scalpel blade. 

He paused, giving both the team and Jack time to realise what he was about to do, before pressing the scalpel into Jack’s chest. It cut effortlessly through flesh and bone as he moved it down Jack’s torso, opening it from the base of his throat to his stomach. 

Jack’s muffled screams were the only sound in the room as the camera zoomed in on his pain-stricken face. It stayed there for a second or two before panning upwards to reveal the General. He smiled into the camera. Once again he spoke in the same unintelligible language, his words translated across the bottom of the screen. 

_The subject appears to feel pain._

Jack still wasn’t unconscious. Ianto couldn’t imagine the amount of pain he must have been in. The Antari with the laser scalpel was methodically cutting into his chest, slicing through his ribs on each side before placing the scalpel down and pressing his fingers into the central cut. Another of the Antari stepped forwards, mirroring the action on the other side of Jack’s body. The first of the aliens nodded and together they pulled until his ribs folded outwards to expose his chest cavity. 

The camera angle shifted once again, giving the team a close up of Jack’s heart beating in his chest. Gwen gagged, and out of the corner of his eye, Ianto saw her turn bodily away. 

”Why isn’t he passing out?” he demanded, “Owen, you said he would pass out!”

“I don’t know,” Owen answered, sounding a little ill himself. “It must be whatever they drugged him with. They wanted him awake for this, sick bastards.”

_We will now remove the heart._

The General looked almost disgusted as he spoke into the camera, and Ianto knew that it was directed at them. He lowered his gaze momentarily. Perhaps he was right to be: their refusal to hand over the device had led to this. It was their fault Jack was still suffering. They might as well have done this to him themselves. 

The Antari had taken up his scalpel once again and was working at something inside Jack’s chest, the sobbing from beneath the muzzle ignored. After a few seconds, he said something that the translator did not relay to them and the General moved around the table, the camera following his movement.

He stopped beside the surgeon, leaning over to peer into Jack’s chest cavity. As he reached in, the team were given a close up of Jack’s heart – arteries and veins cleanly severed with surgical precision, but still trying to beat. The General curled his fingers around it and tugged it out. The camera panned up as he raised the heart, his fingers digging into the bleeding muscle. Ianto whimpered, and then lunged for the wastepaper bin beside Jack’s desk. He hunched over it as he emptied the contents of his stomach.

Owen moved closer as Ianto raised his head, holding out a box of tissues taken from the corner of Jack’s desk. Ianto accepted it, wiping his mouth and dropping it in the bin. As the nausea passed, he placed the bin beside him and turned his attention back to the screen.

The camera turned back to Jack’s face. His eyes were screwed closed and his breath came in ragged pants, weak moans the only sound his exhausted body was able to produce. The camera focused on him until he stopped trying to breathe and his brain finally seemed to shut down.

As the camera turned to look at Jack’s heart – tossed carelessly onto the floor beside the operating table – the General spoke again.

_The subject took four minutes to die._

Ianto barely saw the words. His vision tunnelled at the sight of Jack’s heart lying on the floor like a piece of rubbish. He took a deep breath to steady himself but no amount of air seemed to calm him. He felt light-headed, but the last thing he wanted was to faint. In his position it would be a sign of weakness, rather than the blessing it would have been for Jack minutes before.

Dimly, he heard Owen state, “He’s having a panic attack.”

Then, as he curled in on himself, the General’s voice – speaking English this time – said, “So, Torchwood. Are you ready to discuss the delivery of the Shothar Detonator now?”

He could feel Owen’s hands trying to support him but all he wanted to do was pull away. If it was solely up to him, they would have given up the Detonator hours ago – before Jack was put through such torment. It was because of the others that Jack was hurt; it was because Ianto himself wasn’t strong enough to stand up to them.

“Ianto, you need to calm down.”

“How can you expect me to be calm?” Ianto hissed between deep gulps of breath. He was aware somewhere in the back of his brain that he was hyperventilating, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “You saw what they did to Jack!”

Just mentioning it brought the memories flooding back and he retched as the dissection played over again in his mind’s eye. He pressed his knuckles into his closed eyes, unable to block out the images.

“Do you really need to think about this?” The General’s voice sounded comically surprised to Ianto. He dissolved into hysterical laughter that was on the brink of uncontrollable sobs. There really wasn’t anything to think about. 

“Owen, you need to calm him down,” Ianto heard Gwen snap over the sound of his own laughter. Owen began to talk quietly to him, but Ianto could still hear Gwen as she addressed the General. “All right! OK, we’ll give it to you - but we need time to recover it from the archives. Ianto’s the only one with the codes, and I imagine you can at least hear what’s going on here ...” 

Her words cut through his hysteria he swung his gaze towards the screen waiting desperately for the General’s answer. Surely he wouldn’t refuse now, not after everything he had been willing to do. The General seemed to contemplate his answer before, finally, he nodded. “I am glad you have come to your senses, Miss Cooper.”

Ianto felt a wave of relief and sagged back into his chair. He was only barely aware of Owen’s steadying hand on his shoulder, of being coaxed out of his seat and towards the doorway. The next thing he was really aware of was the sharp pain of a needle in the crook of his elbow before he passed out.


	18. Chapter 18

Toshiko wanted nothing more than to collapse onto the nearest available surface and let sleep claim her. She wasn’t even sure that exhaustion was a strong enough word for how she felt right now. She had passed that stage hours ago and now not even her previous fascination with the Shothar Detonator was enough to stave off the need for rest.

As much as she craved it, however, she knew it had to wait. The team was depending on her getting the device right. Judging by the expression on Ianto’s face as Owen had led him across the room she needed to work fast. Ianto had passed breaking point, and she didn’t want to consider the consequences if she took much longer.

Using the tip of a screwdriver, she pushed a clump of wires aside, holding them in place while she adjusted the position of the timer. When it slid into the desired spot she allowed herself a triumphant smile. If all went well she should be finished in a matter of hours.

She didn’t want to think about what would happen if something went wrong.

Footsteps behind her signalled Gwen’s approach. Toshiko removed her hands from within the device and spun around to face her. Gwen looked exhausted too, her face drained of colour and her eyes reddened and watery. Toshiko decided then and there that she didn’t want to know what had happened, it would only distract her from her work and that was the last thing any of them wanted.

“How are you doing?” Gwen asked when she reached Toshiko’s side. She peered at the device, blinking a couple of times in confusion before disappointment settled on her face.

Toshiko frowned, knowing how the mess of wires and bits of metal must have looked to someone who didn’t understand technology as well as she did. “Despite how it looks,” she said, “I’m actually getting close to finishing.”

Gwen’s eyes closed as she breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God,” she murmured. Her eyes opened again, and she smiled faintly. “How much longer do you think you’ll need?”

The question was very tentative, and Gwen looked nervous as she waited for an answer. Toshiko frowned, looking from Gwen to the device and back again. She sighed, “I’m starting to suspect that it’s a question of how long I have rather than how long I need?”

Gwen nodded, leaning heavily against the table. “I’ve agreed a meeting with the General – for the exchange.” She swallowed, focussing her attention on the Detonator as she added, “Noon, at the flats where Jack was taken.”

Toshiko inwardly winced. That left her with little over three hours to complete her task. It was possible, but she would have to work quickly and in her overtired state there was no certainty that everything would be perfect.

“That’s not leaving me with much time,” she told Gwen, watching the panic set in on her face before quickly adding, “but it is possible. I’m mostly concerned that I won’t have time to check the device over once I’ve completed it and set the timer.”

“I think we can trust you to get it right first time,” Gwen said with a smile.

Toshiko couldn’t return the smile. Normally, she had utmost faith in her technical abilities, but then again, normally she wasn’t this tired. When she took into account the amount of sleep she’d had and the complexity of the device, the likelihood that she might make a mistake multiplied tenfold. It was better to be safe. The risks of tampering too much with a detonator this powerful were not to be taken lightly.

“In that case I should definitely be able to complete this on time.” Toshiko said “It isn’t as though I have a choice in the matter.”

Judging by the shocked expression on Gwen’s face, her words had come out a little more belligerent than she had intended. She sighed, rubbing her hand over her face and hoping that Gwen wouldn’t take it personally – the last thing they needed now was for tempers to flare.

Any argument was forestalled by Owen’s re-emergence from the Medical Bay. He flashed them a reassuring trust-me-I’m-a-doctor smile as he crossed the Hub. It had fallen away by the time he joined them.

“I’ve sedated him and fixed up his hand again,” Owen explained. “He’ll be better after some rest. It’ll give him an escape from whatever the fuck is going on in his mind.” He ran a hand over his face, rubbing at his eyes. “Poor sod’s been through enough to give him nightmares as it is.” He paused, “I just hope he’s in a better frame of mind when we go for Jack.”

He held up a hand to stave off protests. Toshiko noticed that Gwen looked as if she had a few to air.

“I know it isn’t for the best, Gwen, but we’re all exhausted and we’re going to need him on this one. Tosh, I’m going to recommend that you stay here...”

Toshiko nodded, feeling a little jolt of pleasure at Owen’s concern and relief that he had been the one to suggest she stay behind. “I’m fine with that – I’m in no state to be in the field anyway. I’d only be a liability. I’ll stay here and monitor the comms.”

“That’s all well and good,” Gwen interrupted, “but what about Ianto – he’s just as exhausted as Tosh and, you said it yourself, Owen – his head isn’t in the right place. I don’t like to think of what he’s going to do when he sees the General.”

“It’d do more harm to leave him here,” Owen argued, shaking his head he continued. “You heard what they were saying to Jack, Gwen. He’s been told that we don’t care about him – especially that Ianto doesn’t. He’s going to need Ianto there to reassure him that that’s not true.”

“He’s right,” Toshiko put in, not wanting to imagine what would go through Jack’s head if Ianto wasn’t there when they rescued him. He would think that Ianto truly didn’t care. Considering their argument and the Antari’s psychological torture, she could hardly blame him.

“Fine,” Gwen said, and she shook her head, “I don’t like it, but it looks like I’m outnumbered.” There was a moment of silence, and then Gwen spoke again, reassuming her mantle of leadership. “Toshiko, we’ll leave you to it. I want a look at the floor plans of that building. While I’m doing that, Owen, can you ready the medical bay?”

“On it,” Owen said, before he turned on his heel and strode away. Gwen retreated too and Toshiko was once again alone with the Detonator. Rubbing at her eyes, she picked up her screwdriver and returned to her work. She had three hours to complete the Detonator - and she would need every minute.

 

Jack jerked awake. The darkness was different this time. He could feel cloth over his eyes, tied tightly behind his head. Despite the blindfold, he was instantly aware of several things. First, he was lying on the floor. His arms were twisted behind his back and cuffed tightly. His ankles were also restrained, presumably chained together. More importantly, whatever prison he had been transferred into was moving.

Jack struggled against his bonds, trying to free himself or, failing that, sit upright. “Hey,” he yelled. “Where are you taking me?”

His heart hammered in his chest as he struggled. He couldn’t let them take him away from Earth – there was no knowing how long it would take him to get back if they did.

Had the team refused to hand over the Detonator? He had thought they cared about him but apparently not. Now Jack would be imprisoned and tortured until the Antari realised that his immortality couldn’t be duplicated. The knowledge that his team – that Ianto – didn’t care enough to save him from that brought a lump to his throat.

“Back with us, Jack?”

Jack stiffened at the sound of the General’s voice. He twisted slightly, trying to work out where it was coming from. “Leave me alone,” he spat. “Haven’t you tormented me enough?”

There was a chuckle, then the General spoke again. “Isanthan, would you give the Captain a hand? Make him a little more comfortable?”

Jack stiffened as large hands slid beneath his arms, he was pulled roughly into a sitting position and propped against the wall. The blindfold was removed and Jack found himself blinking in the dim light, realising that he was in the back of a van. The General was crouched in front of him, his back to the opposite wall. The guard remained standing beside him. There were others in the front: the passenger was twisted around in his seat, gun trained on Jack.

“Where are you taking me?” Jack asked. The van implied that he wasn’t being transported back to the Antari homeworld. Had the team given up the Detonator, then? He found himself dreading the General’s answer.

“You are to be released, Jack.” The General informed him. Jack’s heart sank as the Antari continued. “We are on the way to meet your team. It seems that they could not stand to see anyone suffer as you have done. They have agreed to trade the Detonator for your freedom.”

Jack didn’t know how he should feel about that. On one hand he was glad that he would soon be free, that the team cared about him a little. But on the other he wished that they had not given up the Detonator. He swallowed, pushing aside his own worries to glare at the General.

“Then I pity your enemies – but I suppose they stood little chance against monsters like you.”

A muscle twitched in the General’s temple and it looked as if he was clenching his teeth. “If you consider us monsters then be glad you have never met the Egorth.”

Jack shook his head, “At least they haven’t committed genocide.”

Before the General could react, Jack heard the harsh tones of the guard beside him. A moment later a heavy kick connected with his side. He was knocked to one side, his head slamming against the floor. He braced himself for another blow, but it never came. The General issued a sharp command in his native tongue and the guard stepped back.

He stiffened as the General approached, hissing when a hand tangled in his hair. His head was wrenched back and to the side, forcing him to look up, directly at the General.

“We do not need to explain ourselves to you, Harkness,” he snarled. “There is only one thing you need to understand. You will not prevent us from taking the Shothar Detonator. I have given orders that Ianto Jones should be killed instantly if you do. Is that clear?”

Jack swallowed, the beginnings of a plan dying in his mind. The General knew that he would do nothing to risk Ianto’s life. “As crystal,” he said, venom lacing his words. “But I warn you – if Ianto is harmed, I will not rest until I have found another Shothar Detonator and used it to destroy your planet.”

The General’s eyes flashed and, for a moment, Jack thought he had made a dangerous error, but then the Antari nodded. “As long as you do not resist, Mr. Jones will remain unharmed.” He turned to the guard. “Blindfold him.”

Jack’s eyes never left the General’s as the guard replaced the cloth. Even after it had been tied, the prickly sensation of the General’s gaze lingered.


	19. Chapter 19

When he had first lifted it from the archives, the lightness of the Shothar Detonator had unsettled Ianto, and it was no different now. Even packed into a cardboard box and surrounded with packing, to disguise it from the curious eyes of Cardiff’s citizens, it didn’t seem heavy enough for something so destructive. He held it on his lap in the back seat of the SUV, holding the corners tightly to stop the whole box from tipping into the footwell on the bends Owen took too quickly – which was all of them.

In the front seat, Gwen swore as Owen cut in front of the oncoming traffic to take a right turn, the sound of car horns blaring after them. “Owen!”

“We have five minutes,” he snapped, not taking his eyes off the road. He swerved onto the wrong side of the road to pass the car in front and ran through a red light. Ianto clutched the box more tightly as the doctor continued. “We’re in a hurry.”

“Getting us killed on the way won’t help Jack!” Gwen shouted and Ianto saw her shift to brace herself against the dashboard. “Owen, slow down! We’ve got time – we’re going to make it!”

Owen ignored her and continued to drive like a maniac. Ianto, who had been over their planned route several times in the past few hours, recognised a landmark and realised that Gwen was right: they were almost at the block of flats. They would have just enough time to get inside.

The SUV rounded a final corner and Owen slammed on the brakes, pulling in to the kerb near the end of the row of buildings. They were just out of sight of the block of flats, but close enough that the SUV would be within running distance if it came to that. Owen climbed out of the car and snatched his rucksack of medical supplies from the back seat. Ianto carefully passed the Detonator in its box to Gwen.

Before leaving the Hub, the three of them had agreed that Owen would carry the Detonator and perform the exchange for Jack, while Gwen took the role of leader. Ianto, much to his annoyance, had been informed that he was glorified backup, under orders to guard their rear, keep their exit route open, and not – under any circumstances – to fire the first shot.

As the three of them prepared themselves for the exchange, Ianto couldn’t help but wonder how difficult it would be to follow that particular order. He hated the Antari with a passion he hadn’t felt since the Cybermen had taken Lisa from him. If given the opportunity, he would like nothing more than to cause the General as much pain as he had inflicted on Jack – or, failing that, to put a bullet through his skull.

“Ianto?” Gwen murmured, looking up from checking her gun for the final time. “Are you OK?”

“Fine,” he replied hastily, forcing the tensed muscles in his jaw and back to relax. He thought of the new circuit Toshiko had put in the Shothar Detonator, of the General and his men burning in the emptiness of space, torn apart by an explosion large enough to destroy a planet. A grim smile tugged at his lips. That was what he had to focus on to get through this. He took a deep breath, banished the smile, and repeated, “I’m fine.”

Gwen looked as if she was far from convinced but nodded, accepting his answer, and turned to Owen. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” he said, and for the first time Ianto really noticed how tired he looked – how tired they both looked. He knew he was exhausted, both from the emotional trauma of watching Jack’s torture and from the lack of sleep, but he hadn’t realised that anyone other than Toshiko was in a similar state. Seeing the slump of Owen’s shoulders and the bags under Gwen’s eyes reminded Ianto of the burn of exhaustion in his muscles, the weight of his eyelids, and he was suddenly forced to hold back a yawn.

He fell into step behind Owen, slipping a hand under his jacket to touch the grip of his gun, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice. Gwen paused at the corner, holding up a hand to halt the line. “Tosh,” she murmured, touching her earpiece. “We’re going in.”

“Good luck,” Toshiko replied through the comms devices. “If I get anything from the Antari, I’ll relay it to you.”

Gwen took a deep breath before she ducked around the corner in a crouch, closely followed by Owen and Ianto. She stuck close to the wall and Ianto followed suit, his eyes scanning the building in front of them. The windows were dark, and any number of them could hide armed Antari ready to gun them down and take the Detonator.

When they came parallel to the gate, which hung open on its hinges, Gwen broke away from the wall and jogged across the road. Owen followed more slowly, walking carefully so as not to jolt the Shothar Detonator. Ianto covered him until he was beside Gwen, then hurried across to join them, keeping his eyes glued on the building rising above.

“This is it,” Gwen said softly, and stepped through the gate.

Nothing terrible happened. Owen and Ianto glanced at one another, then followed her across the threshold.

“I have a transmission,” Toshiko announced, her voice sudden enough to make Ianto jump. He had barely got over the surprise when another voice came through his earpiece.

“Just in time, Torchwood.” It was the General, his voice cold and far too intimate inside Ianto’s ear. He shuddered involuntarily.

“They’re watching us,” Gwen said urgently. “He contacted us as soon as we were through the gate.”

“Just like last time,” Owen said darkly, but before more could be said the General spoke again.

“I thought you would have been more punctual – perhaps more eager to have your Captain returned to you.” He sounded disgusted with them and at the reminder of how long they had left Jack, Ianto couldn’t help but feel the same. A few seconds passed, then the General spoke again. “You have my Shothar Detonator?”

“We have it,” Gwen said sharply. “Tell us where you are. We’ll bring it to you.”

“Seventh floor,” the General replied. “Dr. Harper ought to know which room.”

“He terminated the link,” Toshiko said a moment later. “I only got audio that time.”

That meant that they still didn’t know if Jack was here. They had no idea if the General was in the building either. A chill ran down Ianto’s spine. This could be a trap – the perfect way to take both the Detonator and Jack back to their home planet.

“Do you think we can trust them?” Gwen asked, confirming that Ianto wasn’t the only one suspecting trouble.

“No,” Owen replied. “But what choice do we have?” His frown told Ianto that he was far from happy with the situation, but there was a determined set to his jaw that Ianto recognised. “Come on – seventh floor. He must mean the room they took Jack from.”

“OK,” Gwen sighed after a few seconds of tense deliberation. She turned to face the building again. “Weapons at the ready as soon as we’re inside.”

The block of flats was dingy, full of deep shadows that Ianto’s imagination filled with armed alien warriors, ready to shoot them dead at a word from the General. He shuddered but kept going. He wouldn’t allow the Antari to take Jack. He couldn’t fall apart. They were going to get Jack back and he had to keep their exit route clear for when they did.

They reached the seventh floor without incident. Gwen poked her head out to check the corridor. “The hallway is clear. Where do we need to be?”

“Left at the end,” Owen told her, keeping his voice low. He shifted his grip on the Shothar Detonator’s box. “Fifth door.”

Gwen nodded. “Keep us covered, Ianto.”

They moved along the corridor at a slow and silent pace, keeping close to the left-hand wall. When they reached the end, Ianto pressed his back to the wall and turned to check for any signs of Antari. The higher they had climbed, the more he suspected they were being watched. He didn’t want to be caught by surprise.

“The fifth door is open,” Gwen hissed as they approached. “No guards outside.”

“Torchwood.”

The General’s voice came not through their earpieces nor relayed through speakers, but from inside the room. Ianto felt his whole body tense.

“I know you are there, Torchwood. Really, there is no need for such subtlety – or for your weapons to be drawn,” the General continued calmly. Ianto’s fingers tightened around the grip of his gun. “Please – we will not harm you, unless you attempt to double-cross us.”

Gwen straightened out of her crouch and holstered her gun. “Fine,” she muttered, turning to the two of them. “We’ll do this their way. Ianto, put that away.”

For a long moment, he held her gaze, wondering if he dared to disobey. Then he thought of Jack, and of the General’s words. What if a drawn weapon counted as double-crossing them? Reluctantly he put the gun away.

“Right,” Gwen said, throwing back her shoulders and tilting her chin up. “Let’s go.”

She strode around the corner, Owen and Ianto falling into step behind her. Ianto forced himself to breathe deeply as they reached the doorway. He let Owen go through first, then clenched his fists and followed.

The General was standing in the centre of the room, flanked by two guards. A third Antari was crouched behind him, a screen in front of him, displaying multiple views of the flats. All four of them had both a high-tech gun and a knife on their belts, but none had weapons in their hands.

Ianto barely saw them. His eyes were drawn magnetically to Jack, who stood chained beside the guard on the General’s right. Purely by chance, he stood directly opposite Ianto himself. He was still naked but for wrist- and ankle-chains and a dirty rag tied over his eyes. His skin was tinged an unhealthy grey, presumably by the exertion of almost continual regeneration. Although he was on his own two feet, his body was bowed down as if he wanted to curl in on himself protectively – his shoulders hunched, his head hanging limp against one shoulder.

He had been thoroughly and systematically broken by the Antari and, in their refusal to come to his rescue, by Torchwood. Ianto felt a lump rise in his throat. How could they have allowed Jack to come to this? How could they call themselves his friends now?

“Ah,” the General said, breaking into Ianto’s spiralling train of thought. “So good to finally meet you in person, Torchwood. It is such a pity that Miss Sato could not be with us – but, never mind. I shall make do with the three of you.”

Hatred rose up inside Ianto. Suddenly he was glad that his gun was not in his hand. He would not have been able to stop himself from levelling it at the General’s heart and pulling the trigger. He imagined what it would feel like to do so, and couldn’t imagine feeling remorse.

Then he realised with a jolt that Jack had raised his head. The General was speaking – rubbing in the fact that they had taken so long to make this exchange, how much easier things would have been if they had acquiesced hours ago – but Ianto wasn’t paying attention. He was too busy watching Jack.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ianto saw the General gesture to the guard at his right hand. He tensed as the warrior raised his hand towards Jack, only to relax a moment later when all he did was yank the cloth up and over his head, revealing Jack’s eyes. Jack’s gaze flitted over each of the team in turn before landing on Ianto. His eyes widened slightly, then he turned his head away.

“You see I have kept my side of the bargain. Now, show me the Shothar Detonator,” the General demanded. Ianto tore his eyes away from Jack to watch as Owen crouched to place the box on the grimy carpet and lift the Detonator out from its packing.

The General let out a shuddering sigh when his eyes alighted on the shining metal sphere. Then, suddenly, Jack shouted, “No!”

Ianto’s eyes flicked back to look at him and saw the expression on the Captain’s face. Fury, desperation, horror, disappointment fought for dominance. The change that had come over Jack at the sight of the Detonator was a shock. Suddenly he was animated again, not fighting his bonds but shouting at them, begging them not to give it to the General.

Ianto saw the General’s face twist. Then the Antari was moving, ducking behind Jack and grabbing something from the floor. He straightened. There was a gunshot, and Ianto’s vision was sprayed with red.

He reflexively shut his eyes. There was something hot and wet on his face. There was a stunned silence from his left, where Owen and Gwen were standing. In front of him he could hear the clink of Jack’s chains and the General’s heavy breathing. Jack had stopped shouting. He had seen the look in the Captain’s eyes: only a death would have made him stop. In slow motion, his brain put two and two together.

He reached up and wiped Jack’s blood from his eyes before forcing them open. The General had Jack’s Webley in his hand, his jaw clenched tight. Ianto looked down at Jack’s body, and at the ugly hole the bullet had left.

Ianto looked back at the General, who seemed to be in the process of calming himself. The slitted eyes gazed straight at him, and Ianto’s hatred rose up again. He didn’t think to pull his gun. The desire to hurt was more primal than weaponry. He launched himself across the room with a wordless cry, not caring that the General could shoot him too, his mind too full of images of Jack’s pain to leave room for logic.

He reached the General before anyone could move and landed a solid punch on his cheekbone, sending him reeling.

Hands – human, Antari, he didn’t know or care – grabbed Ianto before he could do more damage. They hauled him back to Torchwood’s side of the room, fighting all the way. “I’ll kill you!” he howled, trying to wrench free. “I swear, I will kill you –”

“Ianto!” Gwen snapped, stepping in front of him and spreading her arms wide, blocking his view of the General. Her eyes were wide with panic. “Calm down! Jack will be fine – you know he’ll be fine! This isn’t helping!”

The General tossed the Webley to the floor, lifting a hand to touch his face where Ianto had punched him. The larger of the two guards was at his side, bending slightly to peer at the damage. Ianto threw off the hands holding him back – Owen’s and one of the Antari guard’s – and glared at the aliens. “You killed him.”

“And he will come back,” the General reminded him calmly. The guard beside him started to speak angrily in the Antari language but the General held up a hand and he stopped immediately. He blinked at Ianto for a long moment, then added, “I did not enjoy killing him, Mr Jones. I want you to know that.”

“Course you didn’t,” Ianto spat, turning his face away. The guard beside him, apparently satisfied that his leader wasn’t in immediate danger, went back to stand beside Jack’s body. Ianto glanced over at it and his heart twisted.

“Look, we’re here to do an exchange,” Gwen said, finally turning her back on Ianto but keeping her body between him and the General. “Jack for the Detonator. Let’s get it over with.”

“Very good,” the General said softly, inclining his head slightly. He said something to the guard beside Jack, who unfastened the chains at Jack’s ankles and wrists before lifting the Captain’s body onto one of his broad shoulders. Owen picked up the Detonator from its box and slowly the two approached one another. The General spoke to his soldier in their own language, then added, “Dr Harper, please put the Shothar Detonator down. My guard will release Captain Harkness at the same time.”

Obediently, Owen crouched to place the metal sphere on the floor. The alien followed suit, laying Jack’s corpse down with a reverence that surprised Ianto. Owen nodded his thanks to the alien before he grasped Jack under the arms and dragged him across the room to Gwen and Ianto. While Owen rooted in his bag for a blanket to cover Jack’s destroyed face and naked body for the trip to the SUV, Ianto turned to watch the Antari. He didn’t trust them but, more importantly, he didn’t want to see Jack like this.

The guard carried the Detonator over to the General, who laid a hand over the transparent panel and closed his eyes, murmuring something in what Ianto assumed was his own tongue. The expression on his face, however, transcended language. It was triumph.

“What about Jack’s things?” he called, deliberately breaking into the General’s moment. He got a glare from the larger guard, but he didn’t care. He decided to elaborate. “His clothes, his wrist-strap, his gun – what have you done with them?”

The General said something to the Antari crouching behind him, who picked up the Webley from where it had been dropped and added it to a small pile of clothing Ianto had not noticed before. He then passed the items to the General who stepped towards the centre of the room.  
He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder – the larger guard, obviously concerned. The General shrugged him off with a shake of his head before approaching the centre of the room fearlessly.

Ianto took a breath and walked across to him, practically snatching Jack’s clothes from his arms. The wrist-strap and gun were nestled on the top of the pile and nothing looked as if it had been tampered with. He glanced at the Detonator, reminding himself of the circuit inside it that would repay the General with the death he deserved.

“You choose strange moments to be loyal to your Captain,” the General said softly, so that Gwen and Owen would barely hear him. “When he cannot hear you, when he is incapable of hearing you …”

“You have no idea what loyalty is,” Ianto growled. He curled his fingers tightly into the thick material of Jack’s coat. He knew he ought to turn away, walk back over to Gwen and Owen and Jack’s body, but he couldn’t look away from the General’s eerie gaze.

The General shook his head. “I think it is you – all of you – who need the lesson in loyalty. You may have done what Captain Harkness would have wanted, in denying me the Shothar Detonator – but the most loyalty I have seen to the man himself has been shown while he is dead.”

Gwen’s fingers curled around Ianto’s arm as the General turned away and walked back to his guards. “Ianto,” she said firmly, layering her voice with the tones of an order. “Come on. You don’t want Jack to wake up in here, and Owen needs help carrying him. Let’s go.”

Numbly, Ianto allowed her to turn him around and take Jack’s things from his arms. The Antari were right – they may have done what Jack would have wanted, but they had not done what was right by him. Not by a long way. He crouched to pick up Jack’s swaddled feet and felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He blinked hard as he stood up, focusing on the strain of his muscles instead of on the pain in his chest. He would not cry in front of the Antari again.

“Goodbye, Torchwood,” the General said as they carried Jack’s corpse out of the flat and towards the stairs. “And thank you.”


	20. Chapter 20

Jack revived with his head pounding. He was in another moving vehicle. The last thing he remembered was seeing Owen pull the Shothar Detonator out of the box. Panic wormed its way into his chest and he immediately tried to sit up. Strong hands pushed him back down, pinning him.

“Jack?” Owen’s voice. His shoulders relaxed slightly. “Jack, look at me.”

Jack forced his eyes open. His vision was blurred but he could see Owen’s vague shape beside him and make out that he was in the SUV. He couldn’t remember how he had died, it had been so sudden – but the still-unrepaired damage to his eyes and the splitting headache indicated a shot to the head.

That wasn’t important. He reached out and grabbed Owen’s lapel. “The Detonator,” he rasped. “Why’d you give him the Detonator?”

“Jack –”

“I thought you’d have a plan – some kind of trick,” he continued, shaking Owen weakly. His vision was clearing and he could see the consternation on the doctor’s face. “I thought you were using the promise of the Detonator to get to me, so you could get me out of there – I didn’t think you’d –”

“Jack!” Gwen, in the driver’s seat, was evidently getting impatient. “We gave them the Detonator, yes – but it’s OK. They can’t use it to blow up their enemies.”

Jack felt his throat tighten. If they had taken out anything vital from the Detonator, the Antari would simply come back – and next time, they would take Ianto. He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could even take a breath, Owen spoke.

“Tosh put an extra circuit into the Detonator, with a timer on it,” he explained. “It’s set to blow up in twenty-four hours. That should give them time to get out of our solar system, but not enough to get back to their own. Happy now?”

It took Jack a long moment to process that information. The Antari would be destroyed by the very device they had been so desperate for. The General would not come back – and, given the force of the message Torchwood had sent them, nor would his fellows. They were safe. Ianto was safe.

Thinking of Ianto, Jack looked around for him. He was sitting in the front passenger seat, facing forwards with his back stiff. Jack’s heart sank. For a moment, he had thought he had seen concern in Ianto’s features – but clearly, he had been wrong. If Ianto still loved him, surely he would have been desperate for contact. He would have been in the back seat, squashed in beside Jack and Owen. Admittedly, there wasn’t much room, but even that fact couldn’t put Jack’s mind at ease. Ianto would have found a way. He would have insisted that there was a way. He closed his eyes. Ianto must have meant it when he had said that he never wanted to see Jack again.

“Jack, I’m going to give you some painkillers and a sedative,” Owen said. He could hear the doctor rooting about in his bag. “Your body needs to rest.”

Jack turned his face away, screwing his eyes more tightly shut. As unconsciousness stole over him, he was glad he no longer needed to question Ianto’s feelings. At least now he knew.

 

Ianto stepped through the cog door and lifted one end of the gurney clear of the steps to guide it down the lower level. He wanted to cause Jack the least possible discomfort, as if it would somehow make up for everything that he had done so far. Their actions were unforgivable. They had left Jack to suffer horrific tortures and had let him believe that he was not loved. Ianto swallowed and glanced down at Jack’s ashen face. He wouldn’t have blamed him if he wanted to leave Torchwood after this. It was certainly what they deserved.

There was a flurry of footsteps and Toshiko appeared at his side. “How is he?”

“He’s sedated,” Owen said, “Let’s just get him to the medical room.”

Ianto nodded, not trusting himself to speak, and with Owen’s help began to move the gurney towards the medical room. He was only vaguely aware of the girls hurrying on ahead to prepare one of the beds for Jack, too concerned with getting there smoothly.

“He’s going to be alright, you know,” Owen said as they moved the gurney down a set of steps. “He’s bounced back from worse”

“Physically, maybe,” Ianto shrugged, concentrating on manoeuvring down the steps backwards. He couldn’t give his full attention to this conversation without risking another breakdown. They didn’t need that. The team needed to focus on Jack. “But they made him believe we didn’t care about him too, and we haven’t done anything to convince him otherwise.” He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath, “I mean none of us spoke to him. We didn’t even ask him if he was alright.”

Owen sighed, shaking his head. “We had more important things on our mind, Ianto, like getting him away from those bastards. Now’s the time for showing him you care – and he’ll see that soon enough.”

They reached the bottom of the stairs and Owen stopped, placing the gurney down and fixing his gaze on Ianto. “Whatever you have or haven’t said or done, Jack will forgive you. He’s forgiven all of us for worse.”

Ianto knew Owen was right. Jack had forgiven them countless times. He had even forgiven Ianto for putting the entire world at risk in trying to save Lisa. This time though, it hadn’t been the world, or even Cardiff, in danger. It had been Jack – and that made the betrayal more personal

He shook his head, reaching out to brush Jack’s hair to one side, fingers lingering on his forehead in a soft caress. “I don’t think we deserve his forgiveness this time. At least, I don’t.”

“Let’s leave that for Jack to decide.” Owen said, “Come on, mate, let’s get him somewhere more comfortable.”

Together they moved Jack into the medical room and onto the bed, Ianto immediately moving to pull the covers over him. He was about to seat himself beside the bed when Owen gestured for him to step back.

“Right,” the medic said brusquely. “I’m going to give him a once over. Girls, I suggest you head home and get some rest.” He held up a hand to stem their protests. “You’re both exhausted. As your medical officer I am ordering you both to go home and I will call you when Jack wakes up.”

Ianto was surprised Owen hadn’t included him in that order but he chose not to query it. Gwen still looked as if she wanted to argue, but suddenly the fight went out of her, replaced by exhaustion. She sighed. “Fine, but make sure you do. Come on Tosh, let’s get you home.”

When the girls had left, Owen glanced at Ianto. “I’m going against my better judgement in letting you stay, but I don’t think I could convince you to go.” He looked back to Jack, carefully peeling the blankets away. “Besides, I think he’s going to need you.”

“Thanks, Owen,” Ianto murmured, moving to sink into the chair at Jack’s bedside. He raised his eyebrows when the doctor stopped him, placing a hand on his chest. “I said that you can stay, but I don’t want you moping about down here while I’m working. He won’t want to wake up in this state, so you can go and get a bowl of water and a cloth, and while you’re at it something for him to wear.”

Ianto hastened to do as Owen asked, taking the stairs two at a time. He didn’t want to be away when Jack woke. He already felt awful for not comforting Jack when he awoke in the SUV but Owen had been insistent on Ianto giving him space to work. He had forced him into the front seat and, when Jack had come to, Ianto had found himself unable to turn around for fear of what he might see in his lover’s face. He had regretted his cowardice the moment Owen had administered the sedative, and had no intention of making the same mistake twice.

He hurried across the Hub towards Jack’s office. Only when he had reached the bunker and removed the cover did it occur to him that, after everything, Jack might not want him in there. Jack’s room was the only place he had to himself and Ianto knew that he was the only one with unspoken permission to enter it uninvited. Maybe Jack had rescinded that invitation after all that had happened.

With a sigh, Ianto turned around and lowered himself into the hole. He needed to get some clothes for Jack; he would just have to ignore the feeling that he was invading his privacy. He strode over to the chest of drawers and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of boxers before pausing to take a clean shirt from the wardrobe. He tugged off Jack’s blood-spattered shirt, replacing it before heading from the bunker and hurrying back to Jack.

Owen looked up as he entered the medical bay, stepping away from Jack’s side. “There’s nothing I can do now, mate. He’s going to wake in the next hour – you come and find me when he does. Until then, he’s all yours."

Ianto nodded, crossing the room to a small sink unit. He poured himself a bowl of water, grabbed a clean flannel and returned to Jack’s bedside. He took a seat, wrung out the flannel and began to wipe Jack’s face clean of the blood and filth that had accumulated there. He moved the cloth across Jack’s body, dabbing tenderly at the few remaining bruises and cuts that still scattered his torso.

He paused in his ministrations, letting his gaze linger on Jack’s closed eyes. “Wake up,” he murmured. He shook his head and slid his hand into Jack’s. “Just wake up, Jack, please, I have so much I need to say to you.”

Jack didn’t even stir. Ianto hadn’t known what to expect but he had hoped for something – anything. A twitch of his fingers, a flicker of his eyelids, just one sign to show that Jack was close to coming round. Running his hand through his hair, Ianto dropped the flannel back into the bowl and reached for the clothing he had brought for Jack.

Once Jack was dressed, Ianto took a moment to plump up the pillows pulling the covers over him. He sat back to wait, his hand sliding beneath the covers to join Jack’s. He interlaced their fingers and hoped that Jack wouldn’t reject the contact when he woke.

 

Awareness returned slowly. The pain that had been near constant the last few times he had awoken was gone. Instead he was lying down, comfort and warmth no longer just memory, and someone was holding his right hand. And they were holding it tight.

He opened his eyes, blinking away the sleep, and turned his head to the side. His eyes widened – it was Ianto who was gripping his hand as if he were frightened to let it go. The Welshman’s head was bowed low, his eyes closed in sleep.

Jack chewed on his bottom lip, glancing towards the closed door. He didn’t understand what Ianto was doing there but he guessed that he was simply taking his turn in sitting with him. There was no love involved – Ianto was simply doing his duty. Jack looked away, a soft sigh escaping his lips. The knowledge that Ianto no longer cared for him made his stomach churn. Suddenly, Jack wanted to be as far from him as possible. He didn’t want to see the inevitable hate in Ianto’s eyes when he awoke. Slowly, and as carefully as he could, he tugged his hand from Ianto’s grasp.

Ianto jerked awake, his eyes roaming the room before coming to settle on Jack. The look that spread across his face was nothing like Jack had imagined. The joy and relief reflected there calmed Jack’s fears but did nothing to alleviate his confusion.

“Jack, you’re awake!” Ianto reached out for Jack’s hand, only to pull back at the last moment and look away. “How are you feeling? Do you want anything?”

“I’m fine,” he murmured, searching for something to say.

The shadow of the argument still lay heavily between them. The General’s words – and Ianto’s own – rang in Jack’s ears. Struggling for words, he ran his gaze over Ianto, stopping when he saw the bandaged hand cradled on his knee.

“What happened?” he asked. He was aware that he was deflecting Ianto’s question but he wasn’t yet ready to answer it.

Ianto looked up at Jack then back to his hand. “I punched a hole in your office wall after you... after you drowned. Don’t worry, I’ll get it fixed.”

Jack’s frown deepened, and, rolling onto his side, he asked, “why would you do that? I don’t mean fixing it...”

“I know what you mean, Jack.” Ianto said, his voice quiet. “And you know why I did it.”

“I wouldn’t ask if I knew,” Jack said. He pushed himself up and swung around to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Then I don’t know what to say.”

Jack’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t understand. He thought that the only explanation for Ianto’s actions would be love but apparently not. Surely Ianto would have said if that was the case. Ianto raised his hand to run it through his hair. He expelled his breath in one long sigh, and then turned to look at Jack. As their gazes locked, some of the confusion Jack felt lifted from his shoulders. Ianto’s concern was clear, and that at least meant that he still cared.

“Jack,” Ianto murmured. “I’m sorry. I should have been with you in those flats – if I’d been there...”

Ianto’s head dropped forward, and he raised a hand to his eyes. As his shoulders shook violently Jack realised how exhausted he really was. He had no idea when Ianto had last slept but he looked very much in need of an undisturbed night. He could only assume that he was the cause of that, and the thought caused a flare of happiness in his stomach.

“Ianto,” he began, “what happened wasn’t your fault. You weren’t to know that we were in any real danger. The Antari had been watching us for a while and they chose their moment well. In hindsight I’m glad you weren’t with me – they would only have hurt you too. ”

Ianto didn’t meet Jack’s gaze. His lack of response ended Jack’s hopes of reconciliation. It was clear that he didn’t want to be reminded of Jack’s feelings for him. Jack wasn’t going to push that, not even to explain the cause of the argument. If Ianto no longer wanted to be with him – if he wanted something better – then Jack wasn’t going to stand in his way.

“You should go home and get some rest,” he murmured as he rose to his feet. At least Ianto did care, Jack reminded himself as he headed towards the door. He knew he could handle that even if they never regained the intimacy they had lost.

He didn’t notice Owen until he had all but walked into him. The doctor raised an eyebrow, and with a glare in Ianto’s direction began to steer Jack towards the bed.

“I thought I told you to get me when he woke up?”

Ianto stepped aside, letting Owen check Jack over briefly. “I’m sorry – I forgot,” he murmured. He glanced at Jack, before looking away with the smallest shake of his head. “I’m going to go and feed Myfanwy and our other guests,” he said and hurried from the room without a backwards glance. Jack felt his heart sink a little further, and tore his gaze from Ianto’s retreating back to glare at Owen.

“Well,” he grumbled, “get on with it – we both know I’m fine, I don’t know why you need to check!”

“Because it’s my job,” Owen explained, rolling his eyes. “Don’t start taking it out on me just ‘cause you and Ianto haven’t made up yet.”

Jack looked back towards the doorway. “I thought he might still...” he trailed off. “Oh, what does it matter,” he added a moment later, in an undertone.

“Y’know,” Owen said, glancing up, “you might not be ready to forgive him for whatever happened between the pair of you, but...”

“Owen,” Jack interrupted, frowning in confusion, “Ianto isn’t the one who needs forgiveness.”

“Whatever,” Owen said. “But you need to know he’s been beating himself up about this ever since you disappeared. Whatever you might think, whatever you were told by that bastard, you shouldn’t believe a word.”

“Then why doesn’t he act like it?”

“You’re more of an idiot than I thought,” he said, rolling his eyes. “He probably doesn’t know how to face you.”

Jack sighed, not sure whether or not to believe Owen. What he said was plausible but he didn’t know why Ianto would have felt that way. As far as he was concerned, Ianto had done nothing wrong. He brushed Owen’s hands away and stood up abruptly.

“You know I’m fine,” he said before Owen could protest. “You’re just wasting your time. Go home, call the girls – tell them I’m giving everyone the day off, myself included. I’m going to take a shower.”

He strode out of the room before Owen could stop him. There was no sign of Ianto when Jack reached the Hub. He was glad, because he didn’t want to see the rejection on his face. He hurried across the Hub towards his bunker. He knew that Ianto would be quick to leave once he had finished his duties. Judging by his hurry to leave Jack before, he would not want to remain for long. As he climbed down his ladder, Jack decided to take an extra-long shower. It would wash away the dirt and grime from the Antari craft, and delay him enough that Ianto would be long gone by the time he emerged.


	21. Chapter 21

Jack had misjudged many things about Ianto, but most of all his loyalty. He had forgotten how protective Ianto had been of him in the past, forgotten how he had defended his actions even against the team. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to find Ianto had remained in the Hub, but somehow, after everything that had transpired, it was.

Ianto had clearly intended to wait for Jack, but his exhaustion had got the better of him and he had fallen asleep on the sofa. Jack couldn’t help but smile, approaching the Welshman with every intention of draping one of the throws over him, but as he reached him, he couldn’t help but reach out, caressing Ianto’s cheek slowly. He drew back quickly as Ianto stirred.

“Jack...” Ianto murmured, his eyes blinking open to stare up at Jack. He smiled faintly. “You’re back. How are you?”

“I’m as fine as can be expected,” Jack said with a shrug. He had, after all, faced worse, and he would recover. “I just went to clean up and I feel a lot better for it.” He looked Ianto up and down, frowning slightly as he met his gaze. “Which is more than I can say for you; when did you last sleep? Without the help of Owen’s sedatives.”

Ianto sighed, then shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve had more important things on my mind.”  
.  
Jack nodded; he supposed that sleep seemed trivial in comparison to the Antari’s demands.

“Then you should go home,” he murmured. “You need some rest.” Ianto looked as if he was fighting to stay awake. Jack wished that he could offer him a place in his bed but he knew that it wouldn’t be appropriate. Not now.

“I know,” Ianto agreed before continuing tentatively “but I don’t think I’m in any state to drive...” He glanced up to meet Jack’s gaze. “I’ll have to phone for a taxi.”

In other circumstances, Jack wouldn’t hesitate to offer a lift, but now he wondered if Ianto would want to spend any longer than necessary with him. As he watched Ianto rub at his eyes and fumble with his phone he realised he couldn’t leave him to make his own way home. He reached out, taking the phone from Ianto and cancelling the call.

“Come on,” he said, taking hold of Ianto’s arm and pulling him to his feet. “I’ll drive you.”

Ianto swayed slightly on his feet as he gestured to Jack’s coat. “But you were going somewhere. I don’t want to put you out.”

“Just for a walk,” Jack replied. “The rooftops of Cardiff will still be there later.”

Ianto smiled a little as he collected his coat from where it was draped over the sofa arm. “OK then. Thanks.”

“Let’s get you home then,” Jack said, He laid a hand between Ianto’s shoulder blades, gently guiding him in the direction of the SUV garage.

 

Ianto unlocked his flat and pushed open the door, leading the way over the threshold. He crouched to unlace his shoes and place them in the rack before straightening up, coming face to face with Jack, who stood awkwardly in the doorway. He was holding two pizza boxes. When Jack had learnt that Ianto hadn’t had a proper meal in the last few days he had insisted on stopping for takeaway. Ianto quickly pulled his coat off and hung it on a hook before stepping forward to take the boxes from Jack. “I’ll go and get some plates, you make yourself comfortable. Would you like a drink?”

Jack smiled briefly. “A coffee would be wonderful, Ianto. Thank you.”

He ducked down, busying himself with untying his bootlaces. Ianto wondered if Jack also remembered how he had refused him coffee the morning of his kidnapping. Guilt surged in his stomach as he realised how cruel he had been to Jack. He turned away and hurried towards the kitchen before Jack could see his despair. The last thing he needed was Jack looking after him when it should be the other way round.

When he emerged from the kitchen, carrying the pizza boxes and two plates, Jack had settled down on the sofa. Ianto swallowed, noticing that while Jack had removed his boots and coat he was otherwise fully dressed - he hadn’t loosened his braces, or untucked his shirt as he usually did when he made himself at home in Ianto’s flat. It reminded him of Jack’s surprise when Ianto had returned with two pizzas and suggested that they eat together.

Jack glanced across with a smile as Ianto approached, but Ianto couldn’t help but feel despondent as he placed the pizzas on the table. He didn’t let his smile slip until he was safely in the kitchen. As he strode over to the coffee machine he tried to convince himself that it meant nothing, it didn’t mean that he would leave as soon as possible. He shook his head, pushing away his worries and concentrating on making two coffees. After everything that had happened, it was little wonder he didn’t want to relax completely. He sighed as he picked up the mugs. He would try to talk to Jack after their meal.

He headed back to join Jack on the sofa. The pizza was still unopened and Jack was staring blankly out of the window. Ianto placed the coffees on the table and sat on the opposite end of the sofa, leaving plenty of space between them. He didn’t think Jack would appreciate him sitting any closer. He leant forward and opened the boxes, taking a slice and grabbing the remote control. He couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

He pressed a button and the screen lit up, the familiar voice of the newscaster filling the room.

“You didn’t get our usual?” Jack asked, leaning forward to take a slice of pizza.

Ianto shook his head. “No,” he admitted, “I didn’t really feel like eating meat.”

He swallowed and looked away, knowing that Jack didn’t need any reminders of what had been done to him. The news finished as they ate. Ianto was glad of the noise of the television. He wasn’t sure how to break the uncomfortable silence that had arisen. He was terrified that whatever he said would be rejected. But it was up to him to make the first move. He couldn’t expect Jack to do it. Not after what he had suffered. Ianto’s hurt at Jack’s actions seemed petty in comparison, and besides, he had already forgiven Jack. It was up to him now.  
As much as he wanted to throw himself to the ground and beg Jack's forgiveness, he knew that he had to approach the situation with some idea of what he was going to say. He had to make sure that Jack knew, without any doubt, exactly how he felt. His hesitation was also built on his fear of rejection. Jack could have anyone he chose and he certainly deserved someone who could treat him better than Ianto had. No matter what he had said about never wanting to see Jack again, he knew that he couldn't be happy without him.

Before he really knew what was happening, the pizza was gone and Jack was draining the dregs of his coffee and climbing to his feet. Ianto watched him, knowing that this was his last chance to speak - or he would have to watch Jack walk out of the door and away from their relationship.

"I'd better go," Jack said, before Ianto could speak. "You look exhausted and I don't want to keep you awake any longer. Goodbye, Ianto."

The last two words shattered the last of Ianto’s reservations. As Jack turned, beginning to head towards the door, Ianto stood and grabbed Jack's arm.

"Jack, wait - please!" When Jack stopped, Ianto continued, "Stay. I don’t want you to go.”

Jack half turned, regarding Ianto with a strange expression.

"Why?" he asked. "So we can sit in silence ignoring one another?”

Ianto flinched, letting go of his arm. “I just don’t know what to say,” he murmured, sinking back into the sofa and dropping his head into his hands. “I don’t know how you can bear to be around me when it’s my fault you were taken. How can I make that right? I should have been with you, or at least I could have done more to get you out of there.” He looked up at Jack. “I’m sorry.”

"Ianto..." Jack said, then he shook his head, coming round the sofa to sit down beside him.  
"It wasn't your fault - none of it. Whether you’d been there or not I’d have been taken. You are not to blame for what happened."

"I think I am," Ianto admitted, "and if you don’t, at least admit that I'm at fault for letting you believe I didn't care. I've not really done anything to put you right since then. Despite everything I said the other night –”

“Ianto, about that phone call...” Jack interrupted. In the same moment Ianto realised he really didn’t want or need an explanation. He had forgiven Jack already. He held up a hand to silence him.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Jack shook his head. “But it does matter, Ianto. I need you to know the truth. I didn’t sleep with her.” He took a deep breath. “I know I flirt, and I know I talk about how monogamy is outdated in the future and that’s probably why you thought I did. But that’s not how it works now. I might flirt, but that’s always been – and will always be – as far as it goes while I’m with you.”

Ianto reached out, tentatively taking Jack’s hand in his. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” He looked up. “It honestly doesn’t matter.”

“But it did matter, before,” Jack reminded him. “And it matters to me that you understand.”

“I do, Jack. I should have let you explain before.” He smiled, and gave Jack’s hand a squeeze. “I’m an idiot.” Any further words were swallowed in a yawn.

Jack sighed and got to his feet. “I should let you get to bed,” he said. “I can let myself out.”

Ianto frowned. “You don’t have to go. If you wanted to stay...”

He looked up and met Jack’s gaze. He wanted Jack to stay but didn’t know how to ask. It had to be Jack’s decision. Jack looked surprised; he stared at Ianto for a long moment before nodding. “Only if you’d rather I didn’t go?”

Ianto smiled as he rose to his feet. “You know where the bedroom is. I’ll just tidy up in here.”

He waited until Jack had pushed the bedroom door open before turning his attention to the mess. He gathered everything up in a pile, balancing the coffee mugs precariously on top before carrying them into the kitchen. He deposited the rubbish in the bin and the mugs in the sink, deciding to deal with them in the morning. Then he followed Jack into the bedroom.

Jack was already in bed when he arrived, sprawled out over his side of the bed. There was no reaction as Ianto entered. Jack must have fallen asleep while he was waiting for Ianto.

Ianto undressed as quickly and as quietly as he could before slipping into bed beside Jack. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should move closer to Jack, to sleep as they usually did. Something held him back – he didn’t know if his presence would be welcome after everything Jack had suffered. No, he decided, it was better to wait and let Jack make the first move. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.


	22. Chapter 22

Jack was woken by the sound of sobbing. He rolled over, squinting through the darkness at Ianto. The lump of bedcovers that hid him from sight shook violently, his breath coming quick and ragged. A sudden cry escaped his lips and he twisted and writhed tangling himself in the covers.

Jack didn’t hesitate to switch on the bedside lamp and move across the bed towards him. Reaching out he tugged back the covers and took hold of Ianto’s arms, pinning him to the bed.

“Ianto,” he said, taking great care to keep his voice low and gentle. “Wake up, you’re safe here.”

There was no response from Ianto, just terrified sobbing. Jack wondered vaguely which nightmare had gripped Ianto this time. The ferocity seemed to suggest either Canary Wharf or the cannibals but it could be something else entirely.

“Ianto!” he repeated, “come on, wake up.”

Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto’s chest, hoisting him upwards until he was leaning against him. Murmuring soothing nothings to Ianto he began to rock them back and forth.

“No! Jack!” Ianto screamed, and he began to struggle anew. “Leave him alone, please! Don’t make me do this! Jack! Jack!”

Ianto was fighting in Jack’s arms, his screams carrying a more frenzied note. Pulling him closer, he shook him gently, increasing the volume of his words.

“Come on, Ianto,” he said, his voice strained, “wake up.” He shook Ianto a little more forcefully. “You’re safe, they can’t hurt you.”

Ianto woke with a start, jerking away from Jack and staring wildly up at him. A moment passed, no longer than a heartbeat. Then Ianto flung himself at Jack, wrapping his arms tight around him and burying his face in his shoulder. There were words, barely distinguishable from his sobs: ‘I’m sorry’, repeated over and over again.

“Hey,” Jack whispered, “come on.” He stroked a hand down Ianto’s spine. “What’s all this about?”

Ianto stilled in Jack’s arms, his breath hitching as he fought for some semblance of composure. “The Antari...” he began, his voice muffled from where his face was still buried in Jack’s shoulder. “When they... when they killed you, the last time.”

Jack flinched, as if Ianto’s words could hurt him as much as the Antari’s surgical instruments. The dissection was still horrifyingly clear in his mind but Ianto seemed too distraught to register Jack’s reaction. Jack could hardly blame him. He forced the memories aside. Ianto needed him; this was no time to fall apart.

Ianto took a steadying breath and continued. “It was that. Only - ” A sob burst from his throat. “– only it was me. I ripped your heart out. I...”

For a moment, the image of the General reaching into his open chest filled Jack’s mind. He forced it aside, thinking instead of Ianto.

“That wasn’t you though. You didn’t do that to me.” Jack told him, not knowing what else he could say that would comfort Ianto. The other man pulled away from him, holding him at arm’s length and staring wild-eyed into his face.

“It might as well have been,” he said. “And I didn’t do anything to stop it.”

“Ianto,” Jack began, trying to soothe him. “There was nothing you could have done short of handing over the Detonator, but I know you’re not that sort of person. I’m glad you’re not.”

Ianto glanced away, staring at the wall and refusing all Jack’s attempts to make eye contact. “I wanted to,” he said and Jack’s heart leapt at the admission. “I really wanted to. I got as far as the door before realising that it wasn’t what you would have wanted. That’s the only thing that stopped me. I’d have killed thousands of innocents just like that” He hesitated. “I’m just as bad as the General.”

“No,” Jack said firmly. He gently turned Ianto’s head until their eyes met. “You’re not.”

“But –”

“I would have done the same,” Jack told him before he could go any further. “For you, I would have handed the Detonator over without a second thought. I wouldn’t have stopped to think about what you would have wanted. I would have just given it to them. That’s what makes you the better man. You didn’t.”

A tiny smile lifted the corner of Ianto’s mouth. “I don’t know about that,” he said softly. “You would never let a petty argument get in the way of my safety – of anyone’s safety.”

“It wasn’t a petty argument,” Jack replied.

He sighed deeply; he had known at the time how hurt Ianto had been by the phone call. He should have tried harder to explain himself then and there. He could have made Ianto listen the day after the argument. Even if Ianto hadn’t wanted to see him alone, he could have spoken in front of the others. He had been too afraid of Ianto rejecting him again.

“I know how much that phone call hurt you and I understand why. You had every right to react the way you did.”

Ianto tried to interrupt, protesting that he didn’t need to hear an explanation. Jack cut him off.

“I should have told you before. The interview on Tuesday was with that woman. Thing is, she’s not from these parts but a mutual friend told me that she was the person to talk to regarding the rogue blowfish case. He let slip that she frequents Zync on Tuesdays. I went to meet her, laid on the charm a little and she told me everything I needed to know. She was nice enough if a little overenthusiastic. I only gave her my number in case she remembered anything else. I never imagined she would call, and certainly not like that!” He paused, meeting Ianto’s eyes. “You have to believe me, Ianto. I would never hurt you like that.” He quirked a half smile, hoping it looked convincing. “I wouldn’t want anyone else when I have you.” He paused, swallowing nervously. “I still have you, right?”

Ianto smiled in return. “Of course you still have me. For as long as you want me. Jack, I’m sorry. Forget what I said.”

Jack reached out and tugged Ianto closer, wrapping his arms around him in a tight embrace. Ianto shifted slightly, until he could slide his arms around Jack, almost clinging to him again.

Jack felt an overwhelming surge of pleasure at how Ianto curled into him. He murmured, “I missed you.”

Ianto snuggled a little closer, while Jack rubbed soothing circles on his back. “I missed you too,” he admitted. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“Likewise,” Jack replied. “And I’m not ashamed to admit that it hurt more than any of the physical tortures they could concoct.”

Ianto pulled back so he could look Jack straight in the eyes. “You know that everything the General said was a lie. Even if they’d taken you away I’d have still come for you. I would have tracked down that Doctor of yours and bullied him into helping if I’d had to.”

Jack laughed at the very idea of anyone ordering the Timelord around. “Y’know,” he said after a moment, “I really believe you could.”

Ianto raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think it would take that much if I told him what they did to you. What they might do to you once they got you back to their planet.” He shook his head, muttering under his breath, “They ripped your heart out once. Doctor or no Doctor, I wouldn’t let them do it again.”

Jack wasn’t sure if Ianto had intended for him to hear that comment, but his words reminded him of how close he had come to a lifetime of imprisonment and vivisection. He had seen what the Antari were capable of. They were willing to put him through unspeakable pain to get what they wanted: the secret to his immortality. He closed his eyes against the sudden onslaught of images – half memory and half imagination – of what could have been. If Torchwood hadn’t been able to save him in time – if the Antari had taken him home with them – if he had become their test subject –

“Jack?” Ianto’s voice, cautious and full of concern, cut through the unwanted thoughts. Jack forced his eyes open and realised that he was breathing too fast. He glanced around, his gaze landing on Ianto, sitting nervously beside him, his hand hovering mid air where he had reached out, obviously wanting to offer comfort, not sure it would be welcomed.

Jack turned, leaning into Ianto’s touch, silently willing him to close the gap between them. Ianto took the hint, quickly shuffling across the bed and sliding his arms around Jack. He wrapped himself protectively around him, and pressed a soft kiss into his hair.

“You’re safe, Jack,” he murmured. “You’re safe. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Jack closed his eyes and tried to believe what Ianto said. Logically, he knew it was the truth. The General and his men would soon be dead and the Antari race knew what Torchwood was capable of: they would not be coming back. Still, it was hard to drive the memories from his mind. He knew that he would be haunted by them for a long time to come.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself. Then he pulled back slightly to meet Ianto’s gaze and offered him a shaky smile. “Thanks,” he said quietly. “I’m ok now, I’m fine.”

Ianto didn’t say anything, but his quirked eyebrow was enough to tell Jack that he knew that was a lie. He would never call him on it or demand that Jack talk about what had happened, however. For that, Jack was grateful.

“Come on,” Ianto said, lying back and pulling Jack down with him. “Let’s sleep. We’re both exhausted.”

Jack knew he was right. Despite his fear of nightmares he knew that the physical contact would help stave them off. He lay down beside Ianto, immediately rolling to face him. Ianto’s arm slid around him and Jack moved closer.

Ianto glanced down then smiled slightly, pressing a kiss to his lips. It wasn’t a prelude to anything, nor especially passionate. It was just a simple reminder that Ianto was there and that he loved him.

“Go to sleep, Jack.” Ianto said fondly as he closed his eyes.

Jack smiled to himself as he curled into Ianto, closing his eyes. Ianto’s arm tightened around him and for the first time since the argument, Jack felt content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We would like to thank everyone for reading and hope you enjoyed. Feedback is always appreciated.


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